Westover has a new fire chief to match the new fire department.

Tim Honeycutt, who has been a firefighter since 1992, will head up the Westover Fire Department, which has been autonomous since November 2008.

Honeycutt said his goal for the Westover Fire Department is to help the department’s growth match the town’s growth.

“We want to just continue the wonderful progress the department has made,” he said. “We want to look at possibly building a fire station, perhaps by the end of the year. We are mindful of serving our citizens.”

The Westover Town Council voted Honeycutt in as fire chief on Feb. 17, and his first day as fire chief was Feb. 23.

Honeycutt, 40, started his career by becoming a volunteer firefighter in 1992. In 1996, he joined the Pelham Fire Department, and is a lieutenant there today. He’ll continue his job at Pelham on the days he’s not working in Westover, he said.

Honeycutt has two college degrees geared towards his career in public safety. He has a degree in public safety administration from Athens State University as well as an associate’s degree in fire science management from Shelton State Community College. He has 40 certifications from the state of Alabama, attended the National Fire Academy twice, worked on Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and is certified by the National Center for Disaster Preparedness.

The Westover Fire Department has a lot of strengths to build upon, Honeycutt said.

“They have a brand new fire engine that they bought, the incredible support of the mayor and council, and the wonderful response that the citizens have given,” he said. “It’s been very good for me to see that the department is supported by the community as we get started.”

Westover Mayor Mark McLaughlin said he hopes Honeycutt can help Westover grow for the long term.

“He’s interested in building a department. He brings a lot of things,” McLaughlin said. “Hopefully this will be a long-term appointment.”