HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. — Haralson County is looking for a new fire chief after a county official reversed his decision to discipline three firefighters for their role in a likely hazing ritual.
It is the latest problem for the department that has seen some firefighters claim they have dealt with a hostile work environment.
“These incidents have resulted in at least three individuals being put out of work and several others being required hospitalization. I’m currently one of the guys that he has hurt,” Zach Oder, a Haralson County Firefighter, said at a county commissioner meeting earlier this month.
Over the past few weeks, firefighters have spoken out against what some called a toxic culture. Specifically singling out Lt. Harold Lee Ray.
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“As a member of the department, I no longer feel safe returning to work under Lt. Ray,” Oder said.
At the center was an October event, where a firefighter was sent to do special training with Ray, and ended up getting hurt.
An investigative report found that two fire chiefs and the chief of training all agreed it was designed as a hazing ritual and was abnormal, unsafe, and inappropriate.
The report found that two other superiors did not follow protocols and allegedly pressured the hurt firefighter to “refrain from discussing the incident, to turn over all communications he had with any employees that discussed the incident, to write manipulated statements supporting Lt. Ray.
Ray and the two superiors were set to be disciplined by Haralson County Fire Chief James “Corey” Myrick until those decisions were overturned by Haralson County CEO Brian Walker.
“My number one job is to keep the county out of liability and litigation,” Walker said.
Walker is a former fire chief in the county and worked with the individuals set to be disciplined for years.
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“We spent a lot of time together over the years. Working calls, running calls,” Walker said.
“So does that impact your decision?” Channel 2’s Michael Doudna asked.
“No, that did not impact my decision,” Walker replied.
Walker said a “hole” in the investigation opened up the county to potential litigation. However, when pressed, he did not provide specifics.
Originally, multiple firefighters either did or planned to resign in the wake of the reversal of discipline. However, since then, Ray resigned a second time, and the other firefighters have since returned to work.
Haralson County Human Resources Manager Brian Krasielwicz, who compiled the report, sent Channel 2 Action News a statement, saying:
“On May 13, 2025, I finalized a 166-page investigative report on a concerning incident that took place within the Haralson County Fire Department. I made an exhaustive effort to obtain every available piece of documentation. That evidence is cited 278 times within the report. Three attorneys reviewed the contents of this document and endorsed its completeness. Any implication that the report was lacking in evidence or information is factually inaccurate. There were no holes in my investigation. I stand by my work.”
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