Battalion Chief Darren Dennis will end his more than two decades of service with the Picayune Fire Department on Monday.
Dennis began his firefighting career in 1988 when he started with the Picayune Fire Department as a part time employee. A year later he would become full time and eventually work his way up to the title of battalion chief. In that capacity his duties were to manage the daily operations of the crew and serve as a mentor to the new recruits, Dennis said.
Dennis and his family moved to Pearl River County in 1987 shortly after the death of his father to be closer to his grandparents.
“I just liked it here,” Dennis said.
While working with the fire department Dennis said he enjoyed helping people dealing with a tragic situation.
“You get satisfaction out of knowing you went out there and did the best you could,” Dennis said.
Thursday morning members of the department and other city employees held a retirement party for Dennis at Central Fire Station.
Fire Chief Keith Brown said Dennis was a big help to his own career when he started working at the Picayune Fire Department.
“When I was hired on (Dennis) took me under his wing and took care of me,” Brown said.
Brown said that while Dennis was working he never had to worry about the safety of the other firefighters.
Former Fire Chief Jackie Mitchell said he hired Dennis, and remembers him as one of the most talented people he ever worked with.
“There’s nothing he can’t do,” Mitchell said.
Even though he is technically retiring from the fire department, he plans to take a job at Trinity Marine.
He said the decision to leave employment with the city of Picayune was due to the fact that no city employee has received a raise since 2006. Additionally, health insurance benefits have been cut.
“In the last eight to ten years the city has not invested in their employees like they should,” Dennis said. “I do wish the city would take a better look at giving employees incentive to stay.”
He feels the money being spent on new signs and other decorative items would have been better served supporting city employee pay. Over the years Dennis has seen a number of valuable employees leave jobs with the city to find better paying work because of the low wages.
While he will still have an active role with the department in helping them with training, he is concerned.
“It kind of worries me about these young guys because I won’t be here to watch over them,” Dennis said.
He also plans to volunteer with the Henleyfield Volunteer Fire Department, an agency he has volunteered with for years.