George Pickett served for more than four years in the United States Marine Corps prior to joining New York City’s Fire Department in 1969. He served in some of the busiest units in FDNY’s history, and worked extensively in Manhattan’s lower east side. Assignments included working in the ranks of firefighter, engineer, lieutenant, captain, and acting battalion chief. George worked in Engine 17 for a short period when they responded to almost 10,000 calls in one year. He became the captain of Engine 17, located in the “Fort Pitt” fire station, an area that saw tremendous structural fire duty. He was decorated five times for life-saving acts, and was injured over a dozen times during performance of his duties.

Since his relocation to Arizona, George has been the fire chief of two departments adjacent to Phoenix. As a fire chief, George served as the president of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association and as a director for the Western Fire Chiefs Association. His education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in fire science and management from the City University of New York—where he was a Beller Zeller scholar.

George lost many friends and associates at the WTC tragedy and flew back to New York to help look for victims at Ground Zero, representing his assigned fire department in Arizona. George has three adult children and lives with his wife in the Phoenix area.