The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the appointment of Patricia “Pat” Lanier Jones to serve as the Volunteer Fire Coordinator for the Bulloch County Fire Department. This is a newly created position approved in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Jones previously served as the County’s Supervisor for the Elections and Voter Registration Department, and begins her new role immediately.
“My interest in fire and public safety began in my early teens as my father, Jack Lanier, helped develop the Leefield Volunteer Fire Department,” says Jones. “I received my EMT license and first responder certificate in the very first EMT class at Ogeechee Tech. I am excited about this new role and am eager to get started.”
Jones comes from a family of firefighters—in addition to her father, her brother-in-law and nephew both serve as volunteer firefighters for Bulloch County and her husband, Larry, is retired from fire service.
Jones joined Bulloch County Government in June 1985 as Clerk of the for the Bulloch County Probate Court, rising to the level of Chief Clerk. She was promoted to Elections Supervisor in January 2010 upon the consolidation and establishment of a local Board Elections and Voter Registration, where elections were previously conducted and operated by the Probate Court Judge, and a separate Voter Registrar’s office.
“Pat has successfully supervised the elections and registration process since its new formation, along with her previous experience and primary role for elections while working for the former Probate Court Judges, Gerald D. Groover and Lee Deloach. Also, during this time she has been a combat and support volunteer for the County Fire Department for over 43 years. While her primary role in this new position will eventually center around recruitment and retention activities, she will also have to opportunity to provide broader support and assistance to our volunteer firefighters, while freeing up the Fire Chief to focus on larger strategic issues,” said County Manager Tom Couch.
Jones has been a lifelong resident of the Leefield Community in Bulloch County. She is a graduate of Southeast Bulloch High School and Swainsboro Tech. She, and her husband, Larry, are members of Brooklet United Methodist Church and the Statesboro Kiwanis Club.
