For more than half of his life, Fire Chief Jamie Baggett has been a firefighter. He became chief at Pea Ridge Dec. 1, 2013. Now, he's stepping down as chief.
Over the past 25 years, he's continued to train and add certificates including firefighter 1 and 2, emergency medical technician and paramedic. He began working for Avoca Fire Department in 1994 and has worked for Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department, Fort Smith, Bentonville, XNA and Bella Vista fire departments over the next two and a half decades with a brief respite from 2006-2008.
Baggett, 42, who announced his resignation as chief of Pea Ridge in a letter to Mayor Jackie Crabtree on Jan. 28 and posted a shorter letter on social media, said he plans to continue to work on the Pea Ridge Department as a paramedic.