Former Long/Ludowici Volunteer Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Richard Truman died Wednesday morning at his Ludowici home.

Ray Howard, whose Howard Funeral Home will handle funeral arrangement, said Truman died shortly after 8 a.m. while under hospice care.

Truman was the face of the fire department, serving for several years as the only paid, full-time fire employee in Long County until he fell ill several years ago.

Truman was instrumental in battling major fires in the county, including a fire that consumed hundreds of acres of forest and threatened some structures five years ago.