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National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Roll of Honor

Chief
Age: 61
Year of Death: 2006

Otis Wayne Chupp

Otis was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who was guided by the principles instilled in him over a lifetime of service to others. As one of ten children, he knew the value of hard work and dedication to others. After losing his mother at age twelve, he learned the values that would guide him in life by helping to raise his younger siblings. Those values would lead to six years of service in the Army Reserves and ultimately to his own family. He married Evelyn Forsyth in 1967. By 1984, the family had grown by five sons, Randall, Jody, Jason, Dustin, and Quincy.

Otis showed his love for family and community through various acts of service. He served as president of the Cartersville Exchange Club and the Cass High Booster Club. He led youth programs for football, Cub Scouts, and baseball, serving as president of the Cartersville Little League, for which many still remember him fondly. Stories are often told of Coach Chupp, selfless with his time, shuttling kids to and from the park, always ready to coach.

In 1986, Otis became the public safety director of Cartersville, overseeing fire and police departments, and over the next decade improved departments both in process and budget. He became a POST-certified peace officer, and his work resulted in being awarded the American Police Hall of Fame President’s National Medal of Patriotism in 1993.

In 1996, Otis became chief of the Cartersville Fire Department. He was a certified NPQ Firefighter 1 and member of both the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Under his leadership, Cartersville’s ISO ranking improved from Class 4 to Class 3, helping to pave the way for Cartersville to rank in the top 1% nationally as one of 388 departments to achieve a Class 1 ISO ranking. With Bartow County Fire Department, he helped with plans for a joint training facility inside the city. He was named Georgia Firefighter of the Month in September 1996 and worked diligently on the FIRE Act of 2001. Upon its passage, he received a personal letter of gratitude from President George W. Bush for his efforts.

His support of the Georgia Burn Foundation was regularly on display during the “Give Burns the Boot” drive. He was a strong supporter of organ donation and was a donor himself. He mentored students as part of the city school youth program and adopted needy families at Christmas to provide clothes, food, and toys out of his own pocket.

With five daughters-in-law, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, he leaves behind a legacy that his family is extremely proud of.

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