Enjoy this interview with Chris Moore, a fire inspector in Jackson County.
Interview By: Natalie Newman
Tell me a little about yourself, your education, and your experience.
My name is Chris Moore. I am originally from Halifax and Northampton Counties In eastern North Carolina and a graduate of Halifax Academy. My time in high school centered on athletics and keeping my grades up in order to one day attend college. Both of my parents never went beyond high school, so I was the first in my family to have an opportunity in attending college. I attended Western Carolina University where I majored in Parks and Recreation Management (Outdoor Leadership) and received a Bachelor of Science degree. I volunteered with the US Forest Service (Highlands Ranger District on the Nantahala National Forest) while fulfilling my internship requirements for my Degree. Upon graduation from college, I went on to work for the United States Forest Service (USFS) as a career employee in a primary wildland firefighter position (Forestry Technician/FIRE). These positions were funded under the National Fire Plan approved by the Clinton Administration around 2000. It was in this position that I was exposed to the Incident Command System and All Risk Incidents throughout the United States. I received specialized training that would advance my qualifications and allow me to become a national resource for incidents of all types ranging from wildfires, to hurricanes, to collecting shuttle parts and special events. I was assigned other duties in Recreation, Lands, and Timber Management with the USFS. We, as Forestry Technicians, had to be well diversified in a day’s time to meet the needs of a multi-use type agency. I was a 2004 member of the Asheville Interagency Hotshot Crew, in which prepares federal wildland firefighters for future leadership roles within a federal land management agency. I was with the USFS until the birth of my first child in 2010. It was then I made a choice to give up a career job in order to be a stay-at-home father. I have two daughters and was home with them for about 4 years. It was then I picked up the local newspaper and saw an opening for a Fire Inspector in Jackson County. I have a wife, Bethany. We have been married for about 15 years and she has been my rock since 2001. Like I mentioned, we have two daughters, Mattie, 7, and Lucie, 6. We are truly blessed.
