He’s been a fixture on Habersham County’s public safety scene for over 27 years, but now Habersham County Fire Chief Jeff Cain is stepping down. Cain will officially retire on January 15. This week, his colleagues held a reception in his honor to thank him for his many years of service.
“Personally I can’t think of anyone I have enjoyed working with in my career more,” says Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black. “He is truly a genuinely good guy.”
An instrumental leader
Chief Cain worked his way up through the ranks. He served as a Volunteer Station Chief before the county had paid firefighters and helped transition Habersham from an all-volunteer to a paid fire service. Along the way, the county promoted him to Assistant Chief and, later, Chief.
In 2018, Chief Cain helped guide public safety through another monumental challenge as he and Black oversaw the merger of the county’s Fire and EMS services. It was their professionalism and mutual respect for one another that turned a challenging endeavor into a workable solution. Their efforts consolidating public safety streamlined services and costs and strengthened the department to meet the growing demands of a growing community.
“Chief Cain has been instrumental in the two biggest events of the department,” says Black. “He has been a great coworker and best of all, friend, and while we will miss his presence every day, we know he will still be around and will always be welcomed back to his department.”
