Hailey names fire chief, WRFR names chief finalists
By Eric Valentine
Valley fire protection took a couple steps forward in the effort to replace three retiring fire chiefs. The City of Hailey named Mike Baledge its new fire chief and Wood River Fire & Rescue announced the four finalists for its vacant chief post.
Hello To The Chief
Baledge, who had currently been serving the city as deputy fire chief and fire marshal, was selected from among 20 candidates solicited from a nationwide search. Baledge is a 24-year firefighting veteran with experience managing a combination fire department which relies significantly on volunteers, or paid-per-call firefighters.
Baledge began his fire services career as a volunteer and moved through the ranks from a paid-per-call volunteer to deputy chief, holding various leadership ranks and positions along the way, including serving as an officer for 17 years. In 2002, Baledge was hired by Hailey Fire Department as full-time staff, adding to his training and emergency response duties and taking on the role of fire marshal, under which he performs commercial building plan reviews and inspections. These fire prevention services contribute significantly to an increase in public safety and a decrease in loss of life when there is a fire.
“We look forward to what (Chief Baledge) will accomplish,” Mayor Fritz Haemmerle said.
The City of Hailey advertised for the fire chief position locally, statewide, and through the International Fire Chiefs Association. The recruitment information was exposed to over 8,500 prospective applicants, from which 20 applications were received. Exiting Hailey Fire Chief Craig Aberbach worked with a staff team to review the applications and identify the top five candidates. Mayor Haemmerle and mayor-elect Martha Burke interviewed three Idaho candidates.
Command transfer between resigning chief Craig Aberbach and incoming chief Mike Baledge occurred at the beginning of October, as it is the duty of the deputy chief to take on the role of acting chief in the absence of an appointed chief. During the past three weeks, as interviews and decisions were made, Baledge led Hailey Fire Department through a structure fire and wildland fire response.
Hello To The Prospective Chiefs
When longtime Wood River Fire & Rescue (WRFR) Chief Bart Lassman announced his retirement early in 2019, the WRFR Board of Fire Commissioners elected to engage the services of an executive search firm, Prothman Company, to find his replacement. Prothman received 42 applications from all over the country and conducted an extensive vetting process that included several essay questions, a follow-up telephone interview, and a thorough background investigation.
Now, the community is invited to come and meet the candidates at a public meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19 in the Minnie Moore Room at the Community Campus, 1050 Fox Acres Road, in Hailey. The candidates will take part in panel interviews the following day, Nov. 20, 2019.
WRFR Board President Jay Bailet said, “We are excited about the work that Prothman has done on behalf of our fire district and want to encourage the public to come join us next month in meeting these finalists.”
Listed alphabetically, the finalists are:
- Sean Grinnell has been fire chief for the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District in California since 2002. He has been with the district since 1990, when he began as a part-time firefighter/EMT, and has served the district in a number of roles, including captain and assistant chief, before becoming fire chief. He was also a shared fire chief between the Bodega Bay and Russian River Fire Protection Districts from 2005-2010. Early in his career he was a volunteer firefighter for 10 years. Mr. Grinnell has a bachelor’s degree in fire administration from Cogswell Polytechnical College and an associate degree in fire science from Santa Rosa Junior College.
- Robert Ladd was most recently deputy chief of training for the Spokane Fire Department in Washington. Prior to that, he was deputy chief of operations and planning for Spokane County Fire District #10, Airway Heights, Washington, from 2009-2015, and he was division chief of training for Spokane County Fire District #8, Valley Ford, Washington, from 2006-2008. Mr. Ladd was also with the Spokane Fire Department from 1989-2006, where he served as a fire lieutenant. He has a bachelor’s degree in business from Eastern Washington University and an associate degree in fire science from Spokane Community College.
- Parker Lathrop is currently deputy fire chief and fire marshal for the Aspen Fire Protection District in Colorado. He has been with the district for 17 years, beginning as a volunteer firefighter, then captain, before being appointed deputy chief and deputy fire marshal in 2012. He was named fire marshal in 2014. Mr. Lathrop has also been shift supervisor, deputy III, field training officer for the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office for several years, and early in his career he was a police officer for the Aspen Police Department. He has a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Colorado.
- Jack Neiman-Kimel has been a battalion chief with the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department in California since 2011. He started with the department in 1999 as a firefighter/paramedic and was a captain before becoming battalion chief. During his time as battalion chief, he has also served as acting deputy fire chief. Earlier in his career, Mr. Neiman-Kimel was with the Hermosa Cliff Fire Department in Colorado for five years where he served as assistant fire chief for three years. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fort Lewis College and a master’s degree in leadership theory from Saint Mary’s College.