Chief Nelson “Carl” Walker began serving his community as soon as he was able at the age of 14 as a Junior Firefighter at Piney Grove Fire-Rescue department. As the cliché goes for so many first responders, he says it was “…Just something I always wanted to do”. Walker contributes his yearning to help others from watching Squad 51 responding to so many emergencies in LA County, CA during the hit 1970’s TV show,  Emergency!  This was the case for many young adults during that time.

Soon after graduating East Forsyth High School, Chief Walker applied for and was hired at the High Point Fire Department where he traveled through the ranks from riding backwards fighting fire to leading those same individuals ultimately retiring at the rank of Captain with over 20 years service. Throughout that time Walker continued to serve Piney Grove as a volunteer and also serving on the Board of Directors under the direction of Chief Jimmy Barrow and Chairman Jamie Mabe. Once retired he remained in the emergency services field but this time on the commercial vendor side of things selling fire apparatus, tools, and equipment to departments around the state.

In late summer of 2021, Carl was afforded the opportunity to serve as the interim Fire Chief after the retirement of Chief Barrow to which he accepted on the conditions that the department would be actively seeking a replacement. Well, as it turns out after a series of events, Carl Walker would become Chief of the same fire department he began his career so many years ago.

Just over a year has passed and our department has hired several employees and staffed both stations with full-time personnel around the clock. Our operations, personnel, budget and finance have all been reevaluated to serve our personnel and citizens as effective as possible. With the support of his wife, children, and the community around him life has now came full circle.