Stanley's newest fire chief was sworn into his new job at a ceremony earlier this month.
Eric Withers joins the Stanley Fire Department from the Crowders Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, where he spent six years as chief.
Withers will head the department on a part-time basis. He fights fires full-time as a member of the Charlotte Fire Department and has done so for 19 years.
Withers comes from a long line of public service professionals.
His grandfather, Earl Withers Sr., was one of the first men to serve on the Dallas Fire Department. His father, Hoyle Withers, helped start and still serves the Dallas Rescue Squad. Hoyle Withers held the Bible for his son's swearing-in ceremony.
His older brother, Earl III, works as chief of the Dallas Fire Department and president of the Gaston County Firefighters Association.
The department, which has a mix of paid and volunteer staff, has at least one paid member on staff at all hours. Withers' schedule will vary, based on his hours at the Charlotte Fire Department.
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