The date and time had been reserved on his office calendar as simply: 2 p.m. Be there.

At that time Friday, Forsyth County Fire Chief Danny Bowman walked into a room of smiling faces at the fire department headquarters.

The surprise occasion was a celebration of his 10thanniversary as county fire chief, which is officially today.

Division Chief Jason Shivers said the milestone is significant in the line of fire service.

“The lifespan of fire chiefs tend to be a lot shorter than 10 years,” Shivers said. “We’re very fortunate to have chief here, and I hope it continues for many years to come.”

Bowman started as Forsyth County fire chief in 2003, after serving 45 years with the Atlanta Fire Department.

“I thought that was just about it,” he said. “However, I was asked if I would come here for a little while and now lo and behold, 10 years later, here we are. It’s hard to believe.”

Bowman said he plans to stay “a short time longer,” before he and his wife, Donna, will “move on to other things.”

Firefighters, friends and county employees gathered for the ceremony and wrote messages of thanks and congratulations on a plaque commemorating Bowman’s 10 years.