John Bilbo took over as the new Orange Fire Chief last month and one of his first duties was to name his Chief Deputy. This week Payton Smith was sworn into his new position.
Chief Bilbo is excited to have Smith working next to him. “Payton Smith is by far the youngest Deputy Chief in OFD history. This is solely due to him taking advantage of every promotional opportunity and putting forth 110% effort throughout his career.”
Smith is a 2007 graduate of Vidor High School and has spent the last 13 years with the Orange Fire Department.
“When Payton hired in, I was Payton’s Captain,” Bilbo said. “As luck would have it, we made his first structure fire together and his first extended vehicle extrication which are two big milestones in a fire fighters’ career. From early on Payton has always been a go getter. His performance at the station and in the field has always been second to none. He is a natural born competitor and leader that strives to learn and succeed at everything he does.”
Chief Bilbo concluded by saying, “We are at pivotal point in the history of the Orange Fire Department. I’m excited and honored to have Deputy Chief Payton Smith by my side visualizing, directing, and ensuring the Orange Fire Department exemplifies the best of what emergency services have to offer.”
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