Capt. Bill Moorman has been named the new fire chief of the Bowling Green Fire Division. Moorman has been working for the BGFD for about 23 years.
“For me it has been very rewarding,” Moorman said about his career with the BGFD.
Within two years of joining the BGFD, Moorman had become a paramedic. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1999 and captain in 2014. He took over the role of fire chief on Jan. 27, 2018.
Moorman’s career started out in a rural town in Australia, located at the base of the second highest mountain in the country. While working there, he battled bush fires and rescued skiers.
At 25 years old, he decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps and travel the world. He traveled and worked in places like England, Israel and Turkey. When his travels brought him to America, he decided to stay, and he brought his firefighting skills with him.
Now, as chief, Moorman said he has three primary goals for the BGFD.
One is the risk reduction program, which is a program that Moorman is inheriting from one of the other fire chiefs. This program includes inspections of commercial properties or downtown businesses. Moorman said the department started this process in April and they are working on it constantly.
“We’ve identified 1,400 properties that need an inspection and have a minimal amount of inspectors, so we want to get that done.”
Moorman’s second goal is to maintain the BGFD’s national accreditation. Moorman said in September or August of this year, the Division will be inspected to determine whether or not its national accreditation will be renewed. He said they are working diligently to make sure everything is in place.
Moorman’s third goal is to enforce the newly formulated training program.
“Training is a priority for me. . . there’s going to be a very heavy emphasis on training.”
Moorman has appointed a training officer, Brad Feehan, to oversee the new training program. All the firefighters at the BGFD are required to have a state firefighter certification and an emergency medical technician certification. They must re-certify on either a two or three-year schedule.
Moorman said his amount of responsibility has grown as he has moved through the ranks. When he was a lieutenant he was in charge of the firefighters. As a captain, he was in charge of the lieutenants. Now, he’s in charge of everyone.
This career development path is one he hopes to perfect for other potential fire chiefs through a succession planning program. This program will hopefully clearly communicate the education and training necessary to progress through the ranks of the BGFD.