Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens announced that an employee with his office was named Fire Investigator of the Year in August at the 2018 Georgia Fire Service Awards Ceremony.

Brian Smith, an arson investigator in Hudgens’ State Fire Marshal’s Division and a lifelong resident of
Habersham County, received the honor which is sponsored annually by the Georgia Arson Control Board.

Fire personnel from across Georgia nominated Smith for the award; this is his first time winning.  “This recognition is a well‐deserved honor for Brian, because of all the hard work and dedication he puts into solving suspicious fires,” Hudgens said. “During my time as Commissioner, he has consistently delivered outstanding investigative support to the fire service and law enforcement community.”

Smith began his career as an arson investigator with the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s office in 2004. Last year he investigated over 65 suspicious fires, determining that 22 of them were arson.  Smith’s primary investigative region is a 15 county area in northeast Georgia.

The Georgia Fire Service Awards were held at on August 18 in Dalton, Ga., at the Dalton Convention
Center. The awards are sponsored by the Georgia State Firefighters Association and the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs. GAC is a non‐profit organization funded by property and casualty insurance
companies in Georgia that are dedicated to fighting arson.