OKC Fire Department Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson Retires

Benny Fulkerson has been the face of the Oklahoma City Fire department for 30 years. Now, he’s decided it’s time to hang up the fire hose and retire.

“It’s nice to know that if you had to spend 30 years doing something, that hopefully you made a difference in someone’s life along the way,” said Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

He has made a difference; keeping Oklahomans informed through good times and bad.

His father and grandfather were both career firefighters.

“I was around it growing up and always respected it, and I knew it was a wonderful occupation and a calling, I just didn’t think that was what I wanted to do,” said Fulkerson.

His initial career ambitions were to become a CPA.

“After about a year of college and running out of scholarship money, I was like, 'Yeah, maybe the fire department is not such a bad idea after all,'” said Fulkerson.

He started with the Guthrie fire department at 19 years old, before moving to the Oklahoma City department, where he held numerous positions.

“I was a firefighter first, then I spent a lot of time as a dispatcher for many years, and then I went to the public information office which is in the fire marshal’s division,” said Fulkerson.

He worked a few other jobs within the department, all preparing him for the public information officer position. A position he frequently gets recognized for.

“People do see you out sometimes and say, 'Hey, I see you on TV,' and things like that and my wife just shakes her head, and we go on down the road,” said Fulkerson.

As he looks ahead to life outside the spotlight, without the alarms and alerts, he’ll focus on some other passions.

“I love playing drums, a lot of people don’t know that, well a lot of people do know that, but that’s one of my passions is I love playing drums,” said Fulkerson.

When he’s not playing music, he and his wife will load up the RV and travel.

“Just want to go see the national parks. Want to go see all the things we really haven’t had time to do over the years,” said Fulkerson.

One thing he’ll take with him is the friendships he’s made over the years.

“I’ve met so many wonderful people in the local media, and local organizations and there are so many wonderful people out there with good hearts that are doing good things and that has been the biggest blessing for me,” said Fulkerson.

Fulkerson said he’s not retiring, he’s refiring. He’ll take some time off before pursuing his next job adventure, doing whatever that is.

Thank you, Benny Fulkerson for 30 years of service to the Oklahoma City community.