The electronic sign at the Haleyville Fire station No. 1 on Highway 13, says it all, as volunteers are desperately needed, especially in sight of the city’s three career firefighters all resigning to accept other jobs.
HALEYVILLE - The resignation of Jeff Postell as the city’s fire chief after just a few months and the resignation of two other full-time firefighters, have left the city working to fill voids and to publicly address what Mayor Dr. Ray Boshell cited as confusion and misleading information that had been circulating regarding the issue.
The Haleyville City Council, at its Monday, Feb. 2, meeting, voted unanimously to hire Justin Woodard as the new fire chief, with council member Boo Brooks making the motion, which was seconded by Todd Barton. All council members voted in favor, including Brooks, Barton, Colton Corum, Cade Lewis and Brian Berry.
Woodard declined comment when approached by the Alabamian after the meeting. Woodard had been seated along with other members of the fire department at the back of the council room during the meeting.
When Boshell called for comments from the audience, no one spoke.
Boshell, in an interview with the Alabamian conducted before the council meeting, commended Postell on doing a great job, but stated that the now-former fire chief’s resignation, effective Sunday, Feb. 1, was due to Postell seeking a better opportunity in employment.
The Alabamian attempted to contact Postell for comment, but a text was not answered, nor was a call returned after a voice message had been left.
As Postell’s resignation became effective Feb. 1, the city was already dealing with the resignations of its two full-time firefighters, city officials said.
The Haleyville Fire Department posted a statement on its Facebook page Sunday, which read, “Effective Sunday, February 1, 2026, at 7 a.m., the Haleyville Fire Department is no longer staffed by full-time career firefighters.
“This represents the first instance since 1979 in which the department has operated without full-time personnel,” the statement added.
“The Haleyville Fire Department will continue operations primarily as a volunteer-based department,” the statement read.
“Due to the absence of career firefighters staffing the station on a continuous basis, emergency response times may be extended, and there may be instances in which personnel are not immediately available to respond,” the statement issued by the department noted.
“The Haleyville Fire Department remains committed to providing fire protection and emergency services to the extent practicable under current staffing conditions,” the statement continued.
“This change in staffing is not permanent and the City of Haleyville is accepting applications for both full-time and volunteer firefighter positions,” the statement concluded.
After the meeting, Craig Thomas, a volunteer firefighter with the Haleyville department the past 32 years, explained the department was rebuilding, but would be OK.
“Woody (Woodard) is young but, if he is given a chance, he will do fine,” Thomas said. “I was already a captain, but Woody asked me to be his public information officer.
“One thing I want to stress is my Facebook post was never meant to be malicious,” Thomas pointed out. “It was a public notice that the station would not necessarily be staffed 24/7, and, in some instances, our response times may be slower.
“It blew up and got taken out of context,” Thomas stated. “I have spoken to the mayor and all of the council, and apologized for the drama it caused.”
When Boshell came into office about 90 days ago, the fire department had three full-time firefighters but no fire chief, as acting fire chief Terrell Baccus had retired, Boshell recalled.
“We brought in all the men and talked with them, and they wanted Jeff (Postell) as the chief, so we made him the chief,” Boshell explained.
Now that Postell, as well as the other two full time firefighters are no longer in the fire department on a full-time basis, Boshell explained that Woodard, who has been a part-time firefighter, was to man the fire station.
“We had interviews and talked with folks scheduled for this morning, and we have everything covered right now with full-time people,” Boshell confirmed before the council meeting.
“That’s over. There was no crisis,” Boshell stated. “It’s just nobody thought to ask us, did we have a plan. We have full-time coverage now.”
When asked to explain how the department is now covered full time, Boshell answered that Rodney Shirley, a current police officer and also a firefighter, will be filling in at the fire department on a full-time basis.
“We also have numerous other officers in our department who are trained as firefighters,” Boshell added.
During the council meeting, Boshell read a statement regarding the fire department, stating that at the first council meeting of the new administration, full-time firefighters were given a $2 per hour raise, with the council at a later meeting, increasing pay volunteers receive per call from $19 to $25, city officials said.
“We have been trying to do everything we can to improve things,” Boshell said.
Also, council members Brooks and Lewis went to the firefighters’ drill last week to talk to them about the issue, Boshell added.
“For over 10 years, full-time firefighters were working 24-hour shifts but were only paid for 16 hours,” Boshell explained. “However, they were hired knowing that payment structure and agreed to it.
“Still, our administration changed that and made the policy so that 24 hours worked are now 24 hours paid,” Boshell read in his statement during the council meeting.
“There has been confusion spread that this policy change wasn’t put into effect for any of the current employees,” Boshell continued. “This is very misleading. The two full-time firefighters had already turned in notices as they had received job offers elsewhere.
“The only other full-time employee remaining was the fire chief, which is a salaried position that this policy didn’t apply to,” Boshell continued.
Fire protection and shift coverage will not change
Boshell noted the fire department was going through a restructuring process, but fire protection and shift coverage will remain in place.
“We are actively taking applications and interviewing to fill these full-time positions permanently,” Boshell stated.
The public is urged to contact Haleyville City Hall at (205) 486-3121 to apply for a position of firefighter.
“It is also important to understand that in Alabama, an average of 80 percent of towns operate entirely with volunteer fire departments,” Boshell continued at the meeting.
“Haleyville is very privileged to be in a position that we have funds available for full-time firefighter employees,” the mayor continued.
“Our volunteers have always been the backbone and the heart of this department, and their service should never be diminished,” the mayor added.
Boshell noted when he was mayor the first time back in the 1990s, the city hall and fire department were in two buildings basically side-by-side.
“When they built the new place, for some reason, they put the fire department out in the back 40 at the old TG&Y parking lot,” Boshell stated.
“I really feel that separation caused some problems,” Boshell said.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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