Cherokee County
Fire & Emergency Services
Fire & Emergency Services
A new fire chief will be at the helm of Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services this spring, following the retirement of Fire Chief Tim Prather.
Current Deputy Chief of Support Services Eddie Robinson has been selected as the next fire chief and will begin his new role in March. He is succeeding Prather, who has served Cherokee County for 35 years.
“When reviewing the applications and interviewing for the fire chief position, Chief Robinson stood out as a natural successor to Chief Prather,” said County Manager Geoff Morton. “He brings substantial institutional knowledge to the role having served with Fire and Emergency Services since 1994, including the last 11 years at headquarters.”
“I have had the privilege of serving the residents of Cherokee County for many years, alongside some amazing firefighters, from the individual stations to headquarters. It is an honor to have the trust and support of county leadership to be selected as Cherokee County’s next fire chief,” Robinson said. “I have dedicated my life to the American fire service and to the residents of our wonderful county, and I will lead the department to the best of my ability with the help of some of the best men and women that the fire service can have. I want to thank Chief Prather for his support over the years, and Mr. Morton for entrusting me to lead Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services.”
“I have worked closely with Chief Robinson as my assistant fire chief for 10 years,” Prather said. “He is a workhorse to get things done. You couldn’t find anyone prouder and more dedicated to this profession and to the citizens of Cherokee County. He has served this community well on and off the job and is a great choice to succeed me. I am optimistic he will continue to serve our county honorably at a high level of professionalism.”
Robinson is no stranger to public service. After high school, he joined the United States Army and, subsequently joined the United States Army Reserve where he advanced to become a drill sergeant. With more than 20 years of combined service to his country, he retired as first sergeant in late 2002. His fire service career also began at a young age. In 1979, he became a volunteer in his hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina. He moved to Georgia and started with the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department in 1994. He began his career with Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services in 1999. Robinson was promoted to safety officer in 2001 and then to administrative captain/safety officer. In 2011, he was promoted to assistant fire chief. Just last year, he was named to his current role as deputy chief of support services.
Robinson’s accolades spread across his service to the United States, Cherokee County and volunteer service outside both of those roles. He earned 23 service ribbons from the U.S. Army, including The Drill Sergeant Badge, Meritorious Service Award and Governor’s Unit Citation for Outstanding Service during and after Hurricane Hugo. In 2020, he earned the distinguished Georgia Fire Chief Certification from the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs. He also has attended numerous fire service training opportunities and is an active instructor for fire services throughout the state.
His volunteer service includes graduating from Leadership Cherokee and becoming a member of the program’s steering committee. He was selected to serve as the Leadership Cherokee chairperson in 2008. He served as lead advisor for Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services Explorer Post 469, a youth group sanctioned under the Learning for Life program of the Boy Scouts of American. Under his direction, Explorer Post 469 received numerous awards at the annual Winterfest competitions. He also is responsible for creating the county’s Patriot Day Ceremony held each September in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001.
Chief Robinson and his wife, Lorie, have two children, a daughter, Candace, and a son, Kenny. Kenny is currently serving as a fulltime firefighter with Forsyth and Pickens County. In addition, Chief Robinson has six grandchildren: Kody, Sadie, Macy, Gracey, Little Nick and Randy.