Chewning named interim fire marshal
She has been investigating arson cases since 2012, and has found she has a knack for the job.
Mary Catherine Chewning has been named interim fire marshal for Rome, replacing the retired Johnie Evans.
“I’m so excited and eager to take this department forward,” Chewning said Tuesday afternoon.
Rome-Floyd County Fire Department Chief Troy Brock said that Division Chief Dean Oswalt had been handling the responsibility since Evans’ retirement, but that he formally named Chewning to the post Monday afternoon.
Evans stepped down after about three and a half years in the post.
“She’s going to do the job on an interim basis and we’ll wait and see how she does before we move forward from there,” Brock said.
If Chewning is given the job on a permanent basis, she would become the first female chief officer in the history of the department.
“I’m going all the way back and I know of no other woman who has even made the rank of captain,” Brock said.
Prior to joining the fire service, Chewning served with the Floyd County Police Department from October of 2002 through October 2015. She started as a street officer and was promoted to field traaining officer in 2008. In 2012 she was transferred to the criminal investigations division where she said she developed a knack for arson investigations.
“I absolutely cherished my time with the police department,” Chewning said. The opportunity to move over to a fire investigator’s position was one that she felt she could not turn down in 2015.
Chewning also holds a deputy coroner’s post.
In addition to Chewning, the fire marshal’s office is served by Division Chief Dean Oswalt, Fire Investigator Brent Whatley and Inspector Stephen Belcher.