Ealy named new West Memphis Fire Chief

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon rang in the new year by announcing a new city fire chief. The mayor tapped Battalion Chief Barry Ealy to move into the top spot in the department succeeding the late Fire Chief Dennis Brewer. Interim Fire Chief DeWayne Rose, who served as head of the WMFD following Brewer’s passing, will resume his duties as Assistant Fire Chief.

“I am confident Chief Ealy will take this opportunity to make additional advances, innovations and reforms to improve the culture within the department left by Chief Brewer and Chief Rose, who has been an invaluable part of the leadership team since being appointed interim fire chief in June,” said McClendon.

Some of the cultural changes Brewer instituted during his 18 months as chief included moving to dress uniforms from polo shirts, increased wages for firefighters and paramedics and the beginning of construction of two new fire stations. One station now bears his name. During the six months Chief Rose served as the interim chief, the department ordered a new pump truck was and the position of single role paramedic attracted new employees to augment the cities emergency medical response team. McClendon expected positive changes to continue under Ealy as two new fire stations were set to go into service.

Chief Ealy advanced from within beginning as a firefighter moving to the rank of battalion chief before being appointed by the mayor to department chief.

McClendon cited Ealy’s experience in the community as a key to his promotion. Ealy had represented the fire department in commission meetings during the last quarter of the year.

“His dedication to excellence, knowledge of the community, and most importantly, his relationships both inside the department and

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West Memphis Fire Battalion Chief Barry Ealy took the podium during ceremonies at the Eugene Woods Civic Center as the now late Fire Chief Dennis Brewer looked on.

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throughout the community will only further bene_t the West Memphis _re department,” said McClendon.

The late Chief Brewer received Mayor Marco Mc-Clendon’s _rst appointment in 2018. He led the department for 18 months before passing away in June of last year. The new Fire Station No. 3 on East Broadway and South Loop was dedicated in the honor of Brewer late last year.

Ealy of_cially took the reins of the department on Monday, Jan. 4.