Smiths Station Fire Chief resigns from position

SMITHS STATION, Ala. (WTVM) - A fire chief has retired just days after an anonymous report outlined numerous allegations regarding the Smiths Station Fire Protection District.

Captain Black Green is the acting fire chief following the resignation of Joe Walden. The leadership change came days after a report was shared with multiple media outlets over the weekend. The document, signed “Smiths Station Concerned Citizen,” is 22 pages long, outlining 15 so-called issues about the Smiths Station Protection District.

The writer says, “The leadership within the department has turned a blind eye to an incompetent/complacent board, untrained leaders and individual and personal agendas. The leadership at the department still operates as if it is still the 1970s/1980s where the good-ole-boy system is still in effect.”

The allegations from the document are not from any official agency, and at this time, WTVM is unable to verify all of the claims. It is still not clear if Walden’s resignation is tied to any of the allegations in the anonymous report. News Leader 9 attempted to contact the publisher of the writing with no success.

A member of the first district did briefly says after a meeting with their attorney takes place, a statement will be released. That statement will be published as soon as it is received.

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