Fort Oglethorpe Fire Chief given “Above the Call of Duty” Award CATOOSA COUNTY, GA – On Tuesday, September 11, 2007, Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue Chief Bruce Ballew was honored by the Ringgold Rotary Club with an award called “Above the Call of Duty.”    The Rotary Club decided to honor someone from each fire and law enforcement agency within the county and asked for nominations. Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Doug Flury and Captain Connie Haddock nominated Chief Ballew for the award.  In their nomination and in Chief Flury’s presentation to the Rotary Club at today’s luncheon, it was stated that Chief Ballew is not your normal Chief.  He is often seen underneath the trucks fixing a problem and will just as often be seen manning a hose line at a fire.  Chief Ballew has dedicated 41 years of service to the Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue Department.  He has initiated programs in fire prevention and has made sure that the department has much needed resources to teach in the community.  Chief Ballew has also ensured that the department has a top notch Fire Explorer program and these explorers are constantly providing community service.  Chief Ballew was instrumental in the efforts to make Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue an ISO Class 3 department, one of only two mostly volunteer departments in Georgia to hold this distinction. Chief Flury was quick to point out that Chief Ballew stresses to his firefighters that family comes first.  It is obvious to anyone and everyone around the fire station that Chief Ballew cares deeply for his firefighters, the department and the community.   Along with Chief Ballew, Ringgold City Police Chief Charles Land, Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department Captain Gary Sisk, and Fort Oglethorpe Police Chief Larry Black were also recognized by the Rotary Club for their efforts in the community.