GULF SHORES, Ala. — Last year the city bid farewell to longtime Fire Chief Tim Blakemore who hung up his hat for retirement. The new year has brought a new face to the position as Hartly Brokenshaw was appointed last week to replace Blakemore. Brokenshaw has been acting as interim fire chief since Blakemore’s retirement.

Brokenshaw has been fighting fires since 1978. He got his start as a volunteer firefighter here in Gulf Shores and in 1993 continued on at the department as a full-time employee.

“When you get in the fire service you get in because you enjoy helping people,” Brokenshaw. “Once it gets in your blood you like it and you don’t really look at it like you’re risking your life. You’re just helping people.”

Brokenshaw, a firefighter EMT, said he gets embarrassed when people praise him for risking his life. He said he and other firefighters are just doing a job they are trained to do.

As an employee, Brokenshaw started as a fire inspector. He then moved into the fire marshal position followed by the deputy chief and now chief.

“Fire prevention, to me, is the most important part,” he said. “If you can stop something before it happens it’s better than it happening and having to do something about it.”

Brokenshaw attended the National Fire Academy and served as the president of the Fire Marshal’s Association of Alabama.

He has been with the department through hurricanes Frederic and Ivan, where he helped with disaster relief for both.

“We helped out with whatever we could,” Brokenshaw said. “We ran our normal calls, we helped out if trees were in the road, just whatever help people needed.”

With the new budget, the fire department has seen a reduction in funding and four positions were eliminated. Brokenshaw has stricter numbers and fewer employees to work with but he said the department will still offer high-quality public safety to Gulf Shores citizens. Currently, there are 40 firefighters and 25 active volunteers working to protect the city.

Throughout the next three years, Brokenshaw’s plan is to give EMT training to his firefighters and to get the new stations built and operating.

Mayor pro tem Carolyn Doughty said the decision to promote Brokenshaw was made by Mayor Robert Craft before he took time off for medical attention.

Doughty said Craft choose Brokenshaw because he was appropriately qualified for the position.