Rockdale County's fire chief resigns months after BioLab fire

Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel has resigned.

The county confirmed that McDaniel submitted her intent to resign on Thursday. Her departure comes months after a chemical fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers, where cleaning products for swimming pools and spas are produced.

McDaniel said she was asked to step down and did not resign voluntarily.

The September fire created a plume that released chemicals into the air, triggering thousands of evacuations, closing businesses, and forcing Rockdale County schools to switch to virtual learning for weeks.

While the county did not give a reason for McDaniel’s resignation, Rockdale County Public Relations Director Melisa Mims said it was unrelated to the BioLab fire.

"Our priority is to offer an effective Fire Department with the best service levels," the county said in a statement. "We celebrate our brave men and women who have chosen such an honorable profession and appreciate their dedication to the citizens and businesses of Rockdale County. We are confident that this transition will help us move forward in the best interests of our community."

The statement did not acknowledge McDaniel’s tenure or her distinction as the department’s first female and Black fire chief.

In an interview with GPB, McDaniel said she was informed by Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chair JaNice Van Ness that the county was "going in a different direction." She was not given any additional details.

"I submitted my resignation after being advised that the chairperson, with the support of the other two commissioners, wanted to go in a different direction and that direction did not include me being the fire chief."

McDaniel says she was surprised by the decision. She emphasized her accomplishments during her time overseeing the department, including increasing firefighter staffing, securing new emergency response equipment, and opening the county’s 10th fire station. 

McDaniel was appointed fire chief in December 2020 after joining Rockdale County Fire Rescue as Deputy Fire Chief of Administration in 2017. Before that, she served nearly 20 years with Atlanta Fire Rescue Department.

Van Ness, chair of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners, appointed Deputy Chief of Operations James Robinson as interim fire chief while the county searches for a permanent replacement. 

A job listing for the position was posted to the county's website on Monday.