Published: November 06, 2009 08:42 pm      

Fire chief known as ‘forward-thinking’

EDMOND — EDITOR’S NOTE: This is Edmond’s Finest, a continuing occasional series highlighting the city’s public servants.



On April 19, 1995, Gil Harryman was acting fire chief of the Edmond Fire Department. The fire chief was in Pennsylvania looking at a tanker the department was considering buying.

That morning, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

At 9:02 a.m., a massive explosion sheared the entire north side of the building.

Harryman was in downtown Edmond at the City Council Chambers, going through an emergency management class on severe weather and tornado activities.

“We heard this big rush of wind and the front door of the City Council Chambers kind of swooshed open and then slammed back,” Harryman said. “I thought, ‘My goodness. What was that?’”

Everybody turned around, looked and there wasn’t anything there so the class continued. A few minutes later, a city administrative assistant came in and said if you knew someone working at the federal building you should check on them. There’s been an explosion down there.

Harryman walked a few yards down to Edmond’s emergency operations center and began monitoring the news reports on TV.

A few minutes later, the Oklahoma City Fire Department requested assistance. Edmond sent an engine and a rescue unit down and they were on scene 20 minutes after the explosion. They were assigned to the Journal Record building, where they began doing floor-to-floor searches.

About that same time, a structure fire call came in from an Edmond restaurant.

The rest of that day, the Fire Department helped coordinate agencies calling in to help Oklahoma City. Part of that help was in the form of additional ambulances from various cities. Other units “backfilled” in Edmond.

“I wanted to be a support, but I knew I could be a better support working out of our emergency operations center, helping to coordinate the resources that they really needed to get in there and get the job done,” Harryman said.

Both Harryman and the rest of the Fire Department gained valuable experience during the response that was helpful for Edmond. First responders across the board united as well, Harryman said.



Father died at age 2

Harryman’s parents owned a furniture moving company in Oklahoma City, and he worked for them when he was growing up.

In his mother, he observed a consistency in her deep, abiding Christian faith, and she lived as she believed, Harryman said. His biological father died from lung cancer when he was 2-years-old. In his stepfather, he observed a tremendous work ethic.

Both parents taught him how to get along with others, to enjoy life to make the most of life.

Harryman’s parents employed many off-duty firefighters, and he learned about the industry talking to them and hanging out at fire stations.

Additionally, he had some uncles who were volunteer firefighters in Purcell, an uncle who was an assistant fire chief in Stillwater, another uncle was a captain in Oklahoma City and several cousins also were in the field.

He considered a future in the family business, but sensed a calling to be a firefighter.

“I saw the fire service as an opportunity to help people when they really desperately needed help,” he said.

Harryman said faith has helped define his beliefs and his values, which influence decisions he makes and the type and style of leadership he provides the Fire Department. Harryman said his faith inspires him to want to do the right thing.

Edmond has been able to hire the best of the best, and Harryman said members of the EFD are great role models with high integrity who put others’ needs above their own.



‘Forward-thinking guy’

Harryman and his wife Rhonda are members at Henderson Hills Baptist Church. Kim Swyden, Henderson Hills’ executive pastor, has served with Harryman on various church teams for the past 15 years, including a key advisory team.

“Because of such knowledge I can say Gil is a man of great integrity and solid Christian character,” Swyden said. “He is one of the most trusted and trustworthy men I know either within or outside the church. And best of all I get to count him as a friend.”

City Councilman Charles Lamb has worked with Harryman on various issues, including development of Station No. 5 and the Fire Department’s training facility. Lamb said Harryman is a personable colleague, an excellent fire chief.

“He’s a forward-thinking guy,” Lamb said. “We are very lucky to have him as our fire chief.”

Harryman was hired in February 1977. He started as a firefighter and worked his way up through the ranks.

The Edmond Sun salutes Fire Chief Gil Harryman, one of Edmond’s finest.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108