CFD honoring the late Captain George Turley
Captain George Turley / Chattanooga Fire Department
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Chattanooga Firefighters are honoring a longtime captain who passed away over the weekend.
Captain George Turley served 31 years as a Chattanooga Firefighter, rising through the ranks.
He was doing on Saturday what he did every workday, working out inside of Fire Station 16.
This is when CFD says he suffered a medical emergency and passed away.
His legacy will be remembered within the department after over three decades of service.
Chattanooga Fire Chief Phil Hyman said, “George was always doing the right thing. If it was one thing I can say about George is that he always did things the right way. From company officer, to husband, to father, he did it the right way.”
Captain George Turley joined the Chattanooga Fire Department in 1993.
Throughout the past 31 years, he worked every single day to further himself as a public servant.
Chief Hyman said, “George rose through the ranks. He started as a firefighter and rose all the way to a captain in operations, which means he worked on a truck every single day.”
Through that service he gained experience, which he wanted to share beyond CFD.
Chief Hyman said, “He spent a lot of time training firefighters with TVA, taking the institutional knowledge and sharing it, which is what he was all about.”
Captain Turley’s contributions were not just at the fire station in Lupton City, but all across the Chattanooga community.
Chief Hyman said, “I know he spent a lot of time with his church and he spent a lot of time in his community just sharing what he knew, and it’s just not working a 24 hour shift, it’s doing stuff beyond that.”
He says that the resilience it takes to be a firefighter for over three decades is an example he wants everyone in his department to take.
Chief Hyman said, “Think about staying up all night. Being in this job for 31 years in operations working on a truck as a company officer, firefighter, it takes a toll on a body. Not only mentally but physically.”
He asks the public to continue thinking about Captain Turley’s family and fellow firefighters.
Chief Hyman said,” To lose a fire captain in a station for a crew is truly devastating. It is like.. It is losing one of your family members. We’re very family oriented, and they were just as attached to Captain Turley as they were their own family at home.”
Captain Turley’s funeral arrangements are as follows per CFD
“Visitation: Thursday 12/19/24 from 5:00 to 8:00 at Chattanooga Funeral Home, North Chapel in Hixson at 5401 Hwy 153.
Friday 12/20/24 will be the viewing from 1:00-2:00 and the service from 2:00 to 3:00 at St. Jude in Hixson at 930 Ashland Terrace.
The procession will follow directly after the service to Lakewood Memory Gardens at 4621 Shallowford Road. “
He was 58 years old and is survived by his wife, Debbie, and two sons.
