After 33 years serving Henry County, including nearly 10 as its public safety director, Matt Tatum is set to retire Friday, Aug. 1.
Tatum joined the Department of Public Safety in 2002. Thirteen years later, in June 2015, he was named its director.
Before joining the department, Tatum began volunteering with the Bassett Volunteer Rescue Squad in 1992. He also volunteered with the Horsepasture Volunteer Rescue Squad and Horsepasture Volunteer Fire Department, and worked as a Virginia State Trooper for five years.
Tatum said he decided to retire now after having two heart stents placed about a year and a half ago.
“I’ve been wrestling with that for about a year trying to get back physically. Even though it’s rare that I do it, my job description requires that I be a firefighter, and with my heart condition I can’t fight fires,” he said.
While he loves his job and doesn’t often respond to fires, Tatum said he didn’t think it was right to continue in the role with no hope of ever being cleared by a doctor to fight fires again.
“Therefore, I’m not able to do my job. Even though the county hasn’t said a word to me about it, pressured me at all, I just didn’t think it was right,” he said.
Noting he’s been the director for nearly a decade, Tatum also felt it was time for a change—for both him and the department.
“I’ve been the director for 10 years and I’m a firm believer in term limits. I believe that someone can be in a leadership role for too long, and they come to the point where if they’re not careful, they will start holding advancement back. I don’t think I do that, but I don’t want to ever get to that point,” he said.
Also a firm believer in helping the community, whether through county employment or volunteering, Tatum plans to continue supporting local efforts in retirement, even if he likely won’t be able to run calls.
“Ninety-nine out of 100 calls, I’d probably be perfect without any problem whatsoever. I don’t want to end up being the firefighter inside a burning building that should have never been there to begin with and that another firefighter gets hurt trying to rescue,” he said.
Instead, Tatum believes he can be more helpful on the administrative side—supporting volunteer organizations with grant writing and similar efforts.
To pursue something a little less stressful, Tatum will begin teaching criminal justice at Ferrum College in the fall.
“I think being able to teach criminal justice will allow me to somewhat stay engaged with the subject and with the material,” he said.
Tatum said Henry County has been good to him throughout his career.
“I tried to give them an honest day’s work, and they’ve given me an honest day’s pay my entire career, so I don’t know what else you could argue with,” he said.
During his retirement, he said he’ll miss his career staff and volunteer coworkers the most.
“The organization as a whole is a good organization from the top down. From the county administrator and the board of supervisors down. We don’t always see eye to eye, but we work together as a team and get through it,” he said.
During his tenure, Tatum said the county became the first locality in the region to introduce Emergency Medical Services (EMS) certification in the high school setting in 2003.
“That was one of my first major projects after I came to work for the county that I’m very proud of. Unfortunately, it went away for a little while, but we’re starting back again this fall,” he said.
Tatum said the Department of Public Safety also helped launch Patrick & Henry Community College’s paramedic program in 2006–2007.
“That has continued to be a very successful program,” he said.
Like many jurisdictions nationwide that are seeing a decline in volunteerism, Tatum said Henry County implemented career EMS providers in 2010 to support the volunteers.
“Yes, there’s been some bumps in the road over the past 15 years since that has launched, but overall, I think our career providers and our volunteer providers work well together. I’m proud that they’ve been able to keep a team mindset and continue putting the citizens first, putting their personal biases or personal desires to the side and putting the citizens first and working together. That’s a huge accomplishment that I’m very proud of,” he said.
He’s also proud of the fact that Henry County’s fire and EMS system likely has some of the best quality equipment in the region—if not the state.
“Now do they have every toy they want? No. But the quality of fire and EMS equipment that Henry County has is something that I’m proud to have been part of over the past 20 years,” he said.
As of July 2, Tatum’s replacement had not yet been named.
“I hope they accept it as big of an honor as it has been for me… to lead it and be a part of it,” he said.
