WATCH: Collierville Fire Chief retires after 44 years of service

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Buddy Billings began his career as a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter while he was a student at Collierville High School.

“I got involved in the fire department because I had a lot of family members in the Memphis Fire Department,” said Buddy. “I never dreamed I’d be the Chief.”

In the 1970′s, the Town’s Fire Chief, Lynn Kelsey, started a volunteer firefighter program for teenagers, according to a press release.

During the day, many of the adult volunteers worked in downtown Memphis which made it difficult to respond to calls.

Buddy and some of his friends started volunteering and doing some of the “grunt” work around the firehouse such as cleaning the fire truck and rolling hoses.

“My first fire call was a 100-acre grass fire off Fletcher Road near the Fayette County line. It was hard work for a 17-year-old. We used pump cans to put out the fire. They were a 10-gallon can of water you wore on your back like a backpack and in this type of weather, they wore you out!” said Buddy.

Buddy served as the Fire Marshal until 2005 when he was promoted to Chief of Fire Prevention, according to a press release.

Buddy Billings (Collierville Fire Department)

In Feb. 2016, Buddy was promoted to Interim Fire Chief following the retirement of Jerry Crawford.

On May 9, 2016, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen named Buddy Billings as the Fire Chief for the Town of Collierville.

“There was no one else we wanted more than Buddy to be the new Fire Chief,” said Mayor Stan Joyner. “His knowledge, experience, and dedication to serving the residents of Collierville were hard to beat. We are going to miss him but wish him the best in retirement.”

The fire department hosted a reception for Buddy on Jun. 28 at the Morton Museum of Collierville History.

John Selberg, the former Fire Chief for the City of Germantown, will become the Collierville Fire Chief on Jul. 1.

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