Firefighter Larry Dodson files as candidate for Buncombe County Commission

Press release:

Dec. 9, 2015

Weaverville resident seeks election in 2016

WEAVERVILLE — Larry Dodson filed as a candidate and announced his 2016 election bid for the Buncombe County Commission. Dodson, a Weaverville resident of nearly 30 years, and captain in the Asheville Fire Department, will run in District 2.

“Our job as firefighters is to respond to the needs of the people,” Dodson said. “Teachers, staff, and administrators are asked to do more with fewer resources. Middle-class working families face the indignity of partisan politics and poor policies. Everyday workers struggle to secure living wages and find affordable places to live. I will fight for a better future for all of us.”

Dodson says his campaign will focus on issues facing teachers and public education, middle-class working families and children, poverty and affordable housing, infrastructure and growth, and supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Dodson is a firefighter of 25 years, AB-Tech instructor, husband of 30 years, father of two sons and an active community member. He began his career in the fire service with the Asheville Fire Department in 1991. In 2001 he was promoted to captain. As a company officer, Dodson has worked closely with many Buncombe County fire departments, especially Enka and West Buncombe. His experience ranges from career development and training of firefighters to incident management and scene safety. Dodson is currently assigned to the Asheville Fire Department Training Division working on recruitment and training of Asheville’s newest firefighters.

As a representative of the department, Larry served on the City of Asheville’s “Green Team” searching for ways to lower the city’s carbon footprint. He also worked with contractors to improve East Asheville Station 8’s energy efficiency by modernizing its facilities.

Dodson is an EMT and a N.C. Fire and Rescue Instructor II for the Asheville Fire Academy through AB-Tech. He is a member of the AFD Dive Team and a PADI certified Open Water Diver. Dodson is a member of the Asheville Fire Fighters Association, Local 332.

In addition to his job, Dodson has volunteered for numerous organizations including local public schools, Habitat for Humanity, ABYSA (Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association), the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the March of Dimes, the American Red Cross and is an active volunteer leader with the Buncombe County Democratic Party.

As a young couple, Dodson and his wife, Alice Dodson, served as volunteer foster parents for the Buncombe County Department of Social Services, which led to the adoption of their first son.

“We wanted to start a family but had some difficulty in conceiving,” Dodson said. “We knew we wanted children in our lives and felt a calling to become foster parents. During our first year, we received a call about a newborn baby boy who came into our care. Our world changed when we were given the opportunity to adopt him.”

Dodson and his wife reside in the Beech Community in the Reems Creek Valley near Weaverville. Alice Dodson operates her own architectural design business with a focus on healthy-built, sustainable homes. They have two sons, Dominic and Calum, both graduates of public schools.