The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) has named Gary McGhee, battalion chief of Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue, as treasurer of its board of directors.

McGhee has served as a Georgia firefighter for 32 years and as a member of GSFA since 1981.

“I am honored to serve as a member of the GSFA board and, in particular, as the treasurer” he said. “I look forward to working with the board in being responsible stewards of the association’s finances.”

He has acquired many accolades during his tenure as a Georgia firefighter, including earning two Firefighter of the Year awards — one from GSFA in 2005 and one from Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue in 2004. Other awards include 2004 Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue Award of Valor, 2008 Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue Officer of the Year, and 2009 Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue “Gold Club,” with 29 years of service and counting.

McGhee serves as the secretary/treasurer of the Northwest Georgia Fire Chiefs Association. He also is a member of the International Fire Chiefs Association (Southeast Division), the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association. He served as a member of Georgia Mutual Aid Group IMT/Red II Team in 2005 that assisted with Hurricane Katrina emergency response efforts.

McGhee is a retired sales manager in the drug wholesale industry. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree in business management and accounting from Middle Tennessee State University.

The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) is a membership organization that serves all firefighters across the state of Georgia. It is the largest and oldest fire service organization in the state with over 4,500 members. Since its founding in 1952, GSFA has been providing its members with an active network and resources for information, communication, and representation on the state and national level. For more information on GSFA, visit gsffa.org.