Crime & Safety

County Emergency Services Announces Promotions

Two employees with Barrow County Emergency Services have been promoted.

Two employees with have been promoted.

John Skinner has been promoted to deputy chief of the department and Penny Clack has been promoted emergency management coordinator.

“It is my desire to assemble an effective management team to lead Barrow County Emergency Services,” Chief Dennis Merrifield said in a news release announcing the promotions. “I am pleased with the appointment of John Skinner and Penny Clack. They will be key partners in achieving this goal.”

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Skinner has more than 15 years of fire and emergency medical service experience. Starting as a volunteer firefighter, he was eventually employed as a full-time firefighter with the Winder Fire Department in 1997. With the creation of the Barrow County Fire Department, Skinner began working as a firefighter in July 2000 and worked his way up the ranks, where he served five years as a shift captain and two years as battalion chief. In November 2009, Skinner was placed in the role of interim chief of the department. He served in the interim until Merrifield was hired on in 2011.

As deputy chief, Skinner will oversee the day-to-day operations of emergency response for both fire and emergency medical services. He will also be responsible for the management of all Barrow County Emergency Services buildings and fleets vehicles. In the absence of Merrifield, Skinner will assume command of the department.

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“I look forward to the opportunities I will have as deputy chief,” Skinner said in the news release. “I have a good knowledge of the workings of this department and I believe I can make a difference as we continue to grow. With a strong sense of community awareness I will be able to assist Chief Merrifield in making sure our department continues to meet the needs of our citizens.”

As chief of Barrow County Emergency Services, Merrifield serves as the director of emergency management. Penny Clack, as the emergency management coordinator, will assist Merrifield in carrying out the day-to-day functions of emergency management.

Clack started her career with Barrow County as an emergency medical technician in September 1988. In 1989, she transferred to the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department to work as an administrative assistant. In 1999, she returned to the emergency services department, where she worked in billing. In 2002, Clack was given the responsibility of administrative assistant to the fire chief when the EMS and fire departments merged.

In 2009, Clack completed the required training to become a Georgia Certified Emergency Manager while continuing in her role as an administrative assistant.

With 25 years of experience working within various public safety agencies, Clack has worked to gain knowledge of these services and their relationship to emergency management.

“I am excited to be the emergency management coordinator for our department,” Clack said in the release. “This is a great opportunity to impact Barrow County Emergency Services and to educate, inform and assist the community in preparing for and responding to disasters.”


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