By JEFFERSON WEAVER

Members of the Columbus County Firefighter’s Association want Ronnie Hayes restored to the county’s top emergency post.

Hayes resigned as emergency services and acting fire marshal last week. He was with the county for three years.

Steve Camlin, of Acme-Delco Riegelwood Fire Rescue said his department voted this week to join with other stations in their support of Hayes.

“We want the commissioners to be open-minded and reconsider,” Camlin said. “Ronnie is a great guy, and has done a lot for this county.”

Camlin said he feels the board might have been “misinformed” when they asked for Hayes’ resignation.

“Ronnie’s biggest problem is that he tries to do everything,” Camlin said. “If they’ll look at his whole record, and be professional about it, we shouldn’t have any problem.”

Hayes could not be reached for comment, but firefighters from across the county expressed support for Hayes in the days after his departure.

Mike Bartley of the North Whiteville Volunteer fire Department said Hayes was “the best director we’ve ever had.

“You could always count on him,” Bartley said. “He was always fair to me, and I think most others will say that, too.”

Chief Eddy Morgan of Lake Waccamaw agreed.

“I’ve never had a problem with Ronnie,” he said. “He’s always there when you need him.”

Old Dock/Cypress Creek Chief Edwin Ezzell said the association members learned to value Hayes’ training.

“I have nothing but com-plimentary things to say about Ronnie,” he said. “He would have been our first certified fire investigator – there aren’t too many of those around, and here we would have had one in Co-lumbus County. He always did all he could to help the departments.”

Camlin said no one plans to get confrontational with the board.

“We are worried about what’s best for the people of Columbus County,” Camlin said. “That’s the primary concern. We think if the board will take the time to really look at the whole pic-ture, they’ll hire him back.”

Several members of the association said they plan to attend tonight’s county commissioner’s meeting to ask the board to bring Hayes back.

“We’re going to support Ronnie, whatever he wants,” Ezzell said. “We’re not going in there with an attitude. We just want the commissioners to understand how Ronnie has helped this county, and how he could continue to help.”