Tybee Island's fire department is grappling with growing challenges after the city removed its interim fire chief, Greg Socks, from the position upon discovering he was not certified to serve as a fire chief in Georgia.
He has switched places with Jason Waterfield, who was the interim assistant chief.
Socks' removal came after the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council (GFSTC) intervened, warning him about his lack of credentials on April 29.
Randy Toms, Executive Director of GFSTC told WJCL 22: "He was warned of his credentials on April 29. An adequate amount of time to get the process done."
Toms also confirmed Waterfield, is not currently compliant but is certified in the state. His status is more of a paperwork issue and needs to complete a "task book" to be compliant.
This development follows the recent revelation that the city failed to renew the fire department’s medical license, which remains expired.
Former Tybee Island Fire Chief Jeremy Kendrick criticized both interim chiefs for not taking necessary precautions to ensure the department's success: "They should have asked questions. They should have been looking for stuff, you know, putting their finger on it, getting it done...That’s on them."
