Lieutenant Gill Frierson

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Fire Fighter Gill Frierson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant at the recent Clarendon County Fire department graduation dinner. Frierson has 37 years of experience combined as a volunteer for CCFD and Summerton City Fire Dept. 

Frierson has received many awards throughout his years of service. He was presented with the Fire Fighter of the Year award from Summerton FD in 2002. In 2003, Frierson was chosen for the Battalion Chief Award. He would go on to win Fire Fighter of the Year for CCFD in 2005.

Frierson has been a resident of Summerton for his entire life. He attended school and graduated from Clarendon Hall.  After graduation, he attended college at the University of South Carolina. At the USC Sumter campus, he earned his Associates Degree in Arts, and his Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminal Justice at the USC Columbia campus.

Frierson says that one of the most memorable times of his career was in January 2018. Clarendon County was hit with an intense snow storm that blanketed and nearly immobilized the area.  Calls for help to the Emergency Dispatch Center were overwhelming. As a result, Frierson said that he stayed busy for days with emergency personnel assisting various citizens with their needs.

I am humbled and grateful for being promoted,” said Frierson. “I just want to thank Chief Johnson for the confidence he has in me. I also want to thank Chief Carter Jones for the training he did for me to become a firefighter.  I need to acknowledge and thank Chief Frances Richbourg for allowing me to come back to the fire dept and Captain Dan Darby for talking me into returning to the Fire Dept.” 

I have always wanted to be a firefighter and wanted to follow in the footsteps of my great uncle Billy Rose,” added Frierson. “I remember one time when I was very young and living in the country. When Uncle Billy came by for lunch, I would sneak outside and turn the siren on. Also when I was young, I set my parents bed on fire by accident. Uncle Billy drove the fire truck out there to put the fire out. Luckily, the fire was out before they arrived.”

I am a service oriented person and always looking out for others’ well-being,” said Frierson. “My goal is to beat the bushes to find more volunteers for Division III. Also I want to get as many people as possible to attend training to beat the other two divisions. I enjoy and love the opportunity to serve the great citizens of Clarendon County.”