(Published in print edition June 28, 2023)
Before Josh Dixon began his career at the Henderson Fire Department, he was working at Shaw’s Flowers, his family’s business.
Dixon said he had not thought about becoming a firefighter until some friends who worked for the department encouraged him to give it a try.
Now, 16 years later, Dixon has been named chief of the Henderson Fire Department. The Henderson Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve his hiring at the June 13 meeting.
He said “never could I have imagined” that years later he’d be the chief.
“It’s really unbelievable,” he said.
He credits his quick rise to chief to his passion for the work, being a hard worker and the people around him. He doesn’t expect to make major changes to the department, he said.
Dixon, 45, was born and raised in Henderson and said he’s the first chief in a while to be able to claim that.
“I’m proud about that,” he said.
Recent past chiefs worked their way up within the department, but were not from Henderson, he said.
Dixon and wife, Missy, have five children and two grandchildren.
In remarks to the commission on June 13, he credited his colleagues at the fire department.
“They are the reason I want to be standing here today,” he said.
Dixon replaces Scott Foreman, who retired Mach 31. Nick Mangarella served as interim until Dixon was named chief.
