By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — The new chief of Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory was introduced Monday night.
Fifty-year-old Brian Mayo began work with the fire territory Monday and replaces Garrett Holderman who left after serving as chief for one year.
Mayo is a Hoosier native, who grew up in central Indiana before his firefighting career took him to Michiana.
He most recently served as the deputy fire chief of operations for the Hardeeville, S.C., fire department, which is near Savannah, Ga.
Family, he said, drew him back to Indiana. He said he’ll soon become a grandfather.
He’s been a fireman in Carmel, Nortre Dame and Penn Township.
“Warsaw is a fantastic community. I’m stoked to be here,” Mayo said. “The reputation of the fire department before I got here, is fantastic.”
There’s also an added sense of familiarity with some of the firefighters who he worked with ten years ago in past training programs.
Those include Battalion Chief Rob Barker, Assistant Chief Aaron Bolinger and Battalion Chief Mike Brubaker.
“I knew what they were like back then. I know they only got better with time,” Mayo said.
He’s also retired from the US Army where he said he enjoyed growing as a mentor and leader.
Mayo said he did not enjoy the excessive, chaotic growth that he saw in South Carolina.
“I like the pace here. I’m a Midwesterner by heart,” he said.
On Monday night, Warsaw City Council approved a resolution waiving the standard requirement that the fire chief have five years of experience with the fire department before becoming chief.
