For Warren Fire Chief Chuck Moore, answering the call to serve others is more than a profession. It is a family legacy, a lifelong calling and something that has been woven into his life for nearly five decades.
Moore was born and raised in Sardis, Mississippi, where his love for firefighting began at an early age. At just 16, he became a volunteer firefighter, following in the footsteps of his father, who joined the Sardis Fire Department in the 1950s and eventually became its chief.
“My dad,” Moore said when asked who influenced him growing up. “He began working in the fire department at Sardis in the 1950s. We were on the fire department together.”
That early experience shaped Moore’s future and helped him realize that firefighting was more than something he enjoyed — it was what he wanted to do with his life.
Moore graduated from North Delta School in Batesville, Mississippi, in 1990 and went on to attend the University of Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in public administration with a minor in criminal justice in 1994.
After college, Moore began working as a fire marshal, investigating fires and becoming a certified fire investigator. His education in public administration and criminal justice provided a strong foundation for his work investigating fires and serving his community.
He also spent many years serving as a volunteer fire chief in Sardis, continuing the legacy his father had started.
At age 44, Moore made the decision to become a full-time firefighter in the Helena-West Helena area. Three years later, at age 47, he graduated from the Arkansas Fire Academy.
In January 2022, Moore and his family made another important move — this time to Warren, where he became the full-time chief of the Warren Fire Department.
Although he had already spent decades in the fire service, Moore said there was never a question about whether firefighting was the path he wanted to follow.
“I always knew I wanted to be a firefighter,” he said. His father’s influence was a major part of that decision.
Today, Moore’s family legacy continues into a third generation. His youngest son, Asa, is now fire chief in Sardis. His son, Ben, is a firefighter in Southaven, Mississippi, and his daughter, Scout, is a nurse in Southaven.
“This is a family business!” Moore said.
For the Moore family, the sacrifices that come with the job have simply been part of life.
“My boys are third generation,” he said. “They understand the holidays, birthdays and other events that have been missed for calls because they have never had it any different.”
Moore and his wife, Mary Julia, have been married for 32 years. In addition to their children, they also have three grandchildren, with another on the way.
Despite the long hours, missed holidays and difficult calls, Moore said the rewards of the job far outweigh the sacrifices.
“The most rewarding part is being able to help people on their worst day,” he said. “I feel blessed to be able to be there to help others.”
Over the years, Moore has answered countless calls, but one remains particularly memorable.
He recalled responding to a house fire where a frantic woman told firefighters that her babies were still inside.
“We hurried back inside and did not find any babies, but we did find two Dobermans,” Moore said with a smile. “We got them out safe and sound. We try to make sure we know what type of babies we are looking for now.”
The lighthearted memory comes from a profession that often requires firefighters to walk into some of the darkest moments a family can experience.
For Moore, being able to help people through those moments is exactly why he continues to serve.
He said one of the things that makes Warren special is the number of volunteers willing to put themselves in harm’s way for their neighbors.
“Warren is not the rule, they are the exception to the rule,” Moore said.
The Warren Fire Department has 33 volunteer firefighters, something Moore said makes his job considerably easier and sets the department apart from many others.
“It is easy being a fire chief in Warren,” he said. “The volunteer firefighters make the job easy as there are many departments that do not have any at all.”
Moore knows how difficult it can be when a department does not have enough volunteers. He remembers a time when he was the only firefighter responding to a fire in the rural community he served.
He recalled arriving at a fire and eventually running out of water. Until another department could arrive, there was little more he could do.
Those experiences have given Moore a deep appreciation for the men and women who volunteer their time to protect their community.
His commitment to Warren extends beyond answering emergency calls.
Moore has played a key role in Operation Baby Box with the Warren School District. The baby box will be located at the Warren Fire Department and will provide a safe, temperature-controlled and ventilated location where a parent can surrender a newborn as a last-resort option.
He also worked to secure a $250,000 FEMA grant in 2024 for the Warren Fire Department. The funding allowed the department to purchase 28 new air packs, as well as a new air compressor and filling station.
The new equipment provides each firefighter with an individual mask, eliminating the need to share masks as firefighters had done previously.
The department also donated its former filling station to the Bradley County Rural Fire Department, extending the benefit of the equipment to another local department.
For Moore, improvements like these are not simply about equipment. They are about making sure firefighters have what they need when the call comes in.
And for him, the reason for doing it all remains simple.
“I enjoy being here and helping people,” Moore said. “Being there in their time of need is what we do.”
After nearly 50 years in the fire service, Moore said what keeps him going has never changed.
“It’s in my blood. I love it.”
For anyone considering becoming a firefighter, Moore recommends starting the same way he did — by volunteering.
“Contact your local department and volunteer to see how you like it first,” he said.
While his career has given him countless accomplishments to be proud of, Moore said his greatest achievement has nothing to do with fire calls, grants or equipment.
“Being married for 32 years and raising three successful children,” he said.
That answer speaks to the values that have guided Moore throughout his life — family, service and commitment.
Today, he is grateful to call Warren home and equally grateful for the people he has the privilege of serving.
“What I love about Bradley County is the people,” Moore said. “Warren is a nice and wholesome place to be. I am very thankful for the citizens, mayor and City Council.”
For Chuck Moore, the fire service may have started with his father, but the legacy has grown into something much larger.
It is a legacy carried by three generations of firefighters. It is found in the volunteers who leave their homes when the alarm sounds. It is reflected in a chief who works to make sure his firefighters have the equipment they need. And it is present every time Moore walks toward someone else’s worst day, ready to help.
