MACON, Ga. — Bibb County Fire Chief Marvin Riggins is saying goodbye after 41 years with the department. A ceremony was held Wednesday for his retirement, and many people who attended said Chief Riggins made a real impact on them.
Many people got emotional as Bibb County's Fire Chief Marvin Riggins shared some of his favorite moments while working at the fire department.
Riggins started his career in 1979, and since then, he's been named Firefighter of the Year three times, Paramedic of the Year, received the Macon Optimist Community Service Award, and more.
Carell Rembert says Riggins inspired many, and he was one of them.
"Everything that I am at this fire department is because of him," Rembert said.
Rembert is a fire inspection and fire prevention sergeant, and he says he owes majority of his accomplishment to Chief Riggins.
"The biggest thing thing that he taught me was to always have a plan. Always have a plan, work your plan, even if your plan has to be reworked, stick to it and stay focused," Rembert said.
Rembert is not the only person who felt Riggins' impact.
"He's going to be missed. He's been a great mentor, a great role model, just a man with great integrity," Jeremy Webb said.
Jeremy Webb was hired by Chief Riggins 12 years ago and worked under him as a fire safety instructor.
"He kept us on track pretty much on an everyday basis and always reminds us why we do what we do, and we do it for the public," Webb said.
Chief Riggins says the one thing he will miss is working with with a great team every day.
"We do everything together. We work each day as a unit, we work as a family so often and to come together. When we think of things, we think of what we can do to make our community better," Riggins said.
It's a mission that Chief Riggins believes his team will fulfill even in his absence.
Riggins says that the next thing he would like to do in life is teach at a college somewhere in Georgia.