After serving the community with the LaGrange Fire Department for 25 years, Lt. Chris Taylor will retire on Christmas.

Taylor currently serves as the senior public information officer for the fire department.

“For me to be retiring, who has been the voice and face of the department for so many years, that’s going to be news to a lot of people, but I’ve gotten a lot of support from the people in the community and the department based on my decision,” Taylor said. “Theoretically, I’m retired from the fire department, but I’m not retired from work.”

Taylor grew up in LaGrange and was part of the Fire Explorer program when he attended LaGrange High School.

“I’ve been around the fire department around 31 years when you include my time as an explorer when I was in high school,” he said. “[My retirement is] something that I have been looking forward to for the last 15 years of my career, so it’s one of those situations where I look for this day. And this day is here, and I feel great about it. It’s a bitter sweet moment because I have spent a majority of my adult life serving the citizens of LaGrange. It’s one of those moments that you look forward to, and I’m looking forward to closing this chapter and starting a new chapter in my life.”

Taylor was hired by the department in 1992 and became a lieutenant in 2006. He also currently works as the coordinator for fire education.

The lieutenant has taught fire science at West Georgia Technical College, and said he may keep instructing.

“It’s a possibility because I’m still an independent instructor for the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office and so I know I’ll be teaching in that regards, but it just really depends,” Taylor said. “I still have things that I can teach, so that may not be teaching opportunities on a regular basis, but at some point, I will be teaching as needed.”

The lieutenant said he’ll pursue some of his passions after he’s retired such as travelling.

“I’ve been fortunate to travel on my job with the fire department to various locations and represented the department. I represented the department around the country for various events that I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of with various organizations,” Taylor said. “And so, travelling is something that I’ve been doing not only through the job, but as an enthusiast. I’ll plan on doing more of that as I move forward and look at some other passions that I have.”

The LaGrange native said he may not work in the city, but it’s still his home.

“Even if I’m still living in LaGrange, I may not be working in LaGrange,” Taylor said. “I may be in various places, but this still always going to be home no doubt, but we’ll see.”

Taylor said his relationships and impact on the community are some of things he’s taking away from his career.

“One of the things that I’ll take away is the opportunity to be a part of an organization that provided me with resources to develop personally and professionally,” he said. “I think those are the biggest things I can take from that is not so much what I’ve accomplished, but the lives I’ve impacted in a positive way during my career with the LaGrange Fire Department.”