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Kris Harrell

From cats in trees to medical emergencies, this week’s Greenville Advocate Hero of the Week, has responded to thousands of calls for help during his over 20 years’ service at the Greenville Fire Department. 

Assistant Chief and Emergency Management Services (EMS) Director Dale Lawrence was nominated for Hero of the Week by Greenville Fire Chief Doug Belletete. 

“[Lawrence] is super dedicated to this community and this department,” Belletete said. “He goes above and beyond to get the job done and make sure that we have all our resources, and everything lined up to ensure that we can provide and keep the community safe.”

Before working in a fire department, Lawrence served in the national guard with field artillery for eight years, starting in 1988. 

After leaving the national guard, Lawrence volunteered as a fireman in north Alabama in the late 1990s, where he was living at the time.

“I was kind of looking for something to kind of get into, similar to the military,” Lawrence said. “I had the opportunity to go through recruit school and be a professional firefighter, worked in North Alabama for a couple of years and moved back home to Greenville and went to work in 2002, and I’m still here.”

In 2004, Lawrence went through paramedic school, the highest level of EMT (emergency medical training) available. 

For the next 20 years, Lawrence served as a paramedic and captain with the Greenville Fire Department. 

“We’ve done a little bit of everything, from cats in the trees – yes, we have done that,” Lawrence said.”Back in early 2000’s we had a lot of fires here and lots of medical calls. For a department this size, we’re not terribly busy, but we’re just busy enough, thank goodness. [In] 20-some-odd years, there’s [been] probably close to 100,000 calls, so it’s hard to think about all of them.”

During the hiring process for Belletete, starting December of last year, Lawrence took on the role of interim chief to make sure the transition process went smoothly.

“When I got hired in February of this year, Dale was very instrumental in helping with the transition and making sure that I had all the information I needed as far as taking over the department,” Belletete said. “He’s been a super huge benefit in the transition of me coming in and taking over the fire chief’s position here.” 

After stepping up as an interim chief and because of his 20 years of experience with the department, Lawrence was promoted to assistant chief over the summer. 

Now, Lawrence serves as the second-in-command and works with the EMS for Greenville as well as teaching basic EMT. 

Alongside Hero of the Week, Lawrence was also recognized as Firefighter of the Year by the Greenville Fire Department. Nominated by his peers, Lawerence received a certificate for this achievement at the Greenville Fire Department’s Christmas party Tuesday. 

“[Lawrence] has gone above and beyond this year to make sure that this transition went smoothly, and benefited the community of Greenville,” Belletete said.