FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — On Thursday, a ceremony was held at the Public Safety Building in Fairmont to swear in the city’s newly appointed fire chief.

Brian Starn was sworn into his official position as the Fairmont Fire Department’s fire chief after serving as the interim chief in July of this year.

12 News spoke with Chief Starn on how it felt to work his way up to this position throughout his time at the fire department.

“It’s the sense of pride, it’s the ability to serve, it’s the heritage and the people. When you have good people you work with, and when you have a cause that you’re confident and you feel good about, it makes it easy to enjoy your work. I think when you enjoy your work you do good work and you want to stay there,” said Chief Starn.

Chief Starn has over 25 years of experience in the field, previously serving the department as a captain. Starn now follows in his father, Rick R. Starn’s, footsteps, who previously served as fire chief from March of 2000 to July of 2003.

“It’s humbling. I’m proud of my dad, really. I’m sure he’s proud of me but I’m really proud of him. I respect him in the fire department, outside the fire department, as a dad, as a husband and somebody I look up to. If I can do as well as he’s done in life, I’ll be happy.”

Chief Starn said that he looks forward to continuing to develop services to better serve the city of Fairmont.