Jim Fair
City of Greer Fire Chief Dorian Flowers was honored at Tuesday’s Greer City Council meeting for completing the Executive Fire Officer Program offered by FEMA'S National Fire Academy. Joining Flowers is his wife, Michelle, and daughter, Leah.
“One of the things we are particularly proud of is that we encourage all of our employees to continue their education,” Mayor Rick Danner said. “That goes for professional education as well as general education.”
Mayor Rick Danner and City Administrator Ed Driggers presented Flowers with his certificate, for the completion of the four-year graduate level course.
“This is a lengthy and challenging program that Chief Flowers began before joining the City of Greer,” Driggers said. “It required time away from his family and significant travel over a four-year period. His dedication to completing the program will now benefit the City of Greer through his enhanced leadership skills and overall risk reduction.”
Flowers had completed three years of the program before his joining the GFD in May 2015. Flowers said, during his interview, his intent was to completing the program.
“It is a very complicated world out there,” Driggers said. “And it’s been a long, long time when you just waited at the station for a fire.”
Students are selected for the program based on service and academic requirements.
“The intensive Executive Fire Officer Program is designed to provide senior fire officers with a broad perspective on various facets of fire administration. This program provides fire service officers with the expertise they need to succeed in today’s challenging environment,” U.S. Fire Administrator Ernest Mitchell Jr. said.
“After graduate school, I was looking for a program in which I could use much of what I learned in the Masters of Public Administration program and wrap it back into the fire service,” Flowers said.
“The program absolutely met and exceeded my expectations. In addition to the skills and knowledge gained through the program, the program has allowed me the opportunity to network with people from across the country,” Flowers said. “This will allow me to use the contacts I’ve made to collaborate with on projects and issues that we embark on here at the city.