HAWKINSVILLE, Ga. — Leslie Sewell, Fire Chief and Emergency Management Agency Director of the Pulaski County Fire Department, will officially retire on May 31, 2026, after 55 years of service to the Hawkinsville community. Only the third fire chief in Hawkinsville’s history, Sewell served as chief for 29 of those years — a tenure that touched nearly every corner of public safety in Pulaski County.

His retirement marks the end of an era for the Pulaski County Fire Department, where his influence stretched far beyond the firehouse. To the firefighters he trained, the officials he worked alongside, and the residents he protected, Sewell became more than a public servant — he became a pillar of the community.

To honor his decades of service, the Pulaski County Fire Department organized two days of celebration. Firefighters active and retired, local elected officials, and members of the public all came together to pay tribute to Sewell.

Hawkinsville Gathers for Retirement Dinner at the Steak House

On the evening of May 28, the Pulaski County Fire Department held a retirement dinner at the Steak House Restaurant in Hawkinsville. More than 40 firefighters filled the room alongside local dignitaries, including Pulaski County Commissioner Jenna Mashburn, Sheriff Wayne Wiley and Chief Deputy Marvin Giddens, City Manager Sara Myers, and City Commissioner Ken Clark. Plaques were presented, awards given, and a procession of heartfelt speeches took the room through nearly every emotion imaginable.

Among the first to take the podium was Sewell’s son, Capt. Sewell, who opened the evening with a tribute to his father’s career and lifelong dedication to the Hawkinsville community. He reflected on growing up alongside the fire service and expressed deep appreciation for his father’s patience and leadership.

His daughter, Ashley Sewell, followed at the podium. She painted a portrait of her father not just as a fire chief, but as a figure of quiet resilience. She drew laughter from the crowd with stories from her childhood and memories of growing up alongside the department. 

Speeches Honor Chief Sewell’s 55 Years of Service to Pulaski County

Commissioner Jenna Mashburn delivered one of the evening’s most memorable speeches, weaving together humor and affection for the retiring chief.

“Tonight, we’re here to celebrate something pretty incredible. 55 years of service from a man who has spent more than half a century protecting this community, leading this department, mentoring firefighters, and keeping the rest of us entertained along the way,” she said.

“You’ve been more than a fire chief, you’ve been my friend, you’ve been my mentor, and you’ve supported me through many challenges and difficult moments during my time as county commissioner,” Mashburn said.

In closing, she stated, “You may be retiring from the position… but you’ll never stop being ‘chief’ to us. We love you, we appreciate you, and we thank you for an extraordinary 55 years of service. Now don’t be a stranger! I love you!”

Sheriff Wayne Wiley presented Sewell with a plaque recognizing his years of service. He also offered remarks that underscored the mutual respect between Pulaski County’s public safety agencies. Assistant Fire Chief and Chaplain Robert Herman, one of the primary organizers of the evening, reflected on the lessons Sewell had quietly modeled throughout his career. “One thing I have learned from you is to always stay calm,” Herman said.

Chaplain Robert Lancaster also addressed the crowd, praising Sewell’s lasting impact on the Pulaski County Fire Department. He drew laughs with well-timed jokes about the number of times over the years Sewell had previously told him he would be retiring soon.

Awards and Gifts Presented to Chief Sewell

Throughout the evening, Sewell received several meaningful gifts from the department and community. The Pulaski County Fire Department presented Sewell with a retirement plaque, as well as a custom metal Maltese cross — the traditional symbol of the fire service — bearing the PCFD emblem, his name, and the inscription “1971–2026, 55 Years.”

City Commissioner Ken Clark presented Sewell with a custom firefighter’s axe, engraved with his name and years of service. A wooden mount was also created for hanging the ax.

The formal program eventually gave way to an open floor, where firefighters and friends shared their favorite Chief Sewell stories. They filled the room with decades of memories that only comes from years spent side by side.

Pulaski County Community Turns Out for Public Retirement Celebration

The following day, May 29, the Pulaski County Fire Department opened its doors to the public for a second celebration. Residents from across Hawkinsville and the surrounding area came out to support him. At the center of the room sat a retirement cake bearing the message: “Finally retired and busier than the president.”

Herman presented Sewell with a photograph capturing more than 40 active and retired Pulaski County firefighters together in his honor. Each firefighter in the photo had signed the frame — a tangible piece of the department he had led for nearly three decades.

The department’s dispatchers presented Sewell with a custom framed signature board. The board featured his name spelled out in photographs of fire department equipment, dated May 31, 2026. The board was covered edge to edge with handwritten notes and well-wishes from colleagues, family, and friends.

A lasting tribute among the celebrations came when Commissioner Mashburn unveiled a dedication at the Pulaski County Fire Department facility. The Emergency Operations Center and Training Room has been officially named, “Leslie P. Sewell — Emergency Operations Center and Training Room.” For his service, his name will remain on the walls of the department he gave his life’s work to.

‘There Is No Other Place I Would Have Chosen’

Across both days of celebration, Chief Sewell responded to every speech, every gift, and every embrace with the same steady gratitude that defined his 55-year career. In his own remarks, he spoke of nothing but appreciation — for the men and women of the Pulaski County Fire Department, for the elected officials and community partners who supported the department’s work, and for the town of Hawkinsville itself.

“There is no other place I would have chosen to spend my life,” Sewell said.

The awards, gifts, and tributes presented to Chief Leslie Sewell during his two-day retirement celebration reflect 55 years of unwavering service to Hawkinsville and Pulaski County.