Daisy Mountain tabs new fire chief

SUBMITTED ARTICLE ~ 3/30/2011

The Daisy Mountain Fire District Governing Board has selected long-time Valley fire department veteran J. Mark Nichols to be the next chief of the Daisy Mountain Fire Department. The Fire Board, consisting of Board Chairman Brian Moore, Board Clerk Roger DeBonis, Board Treasurer Wiatt Wong and members Joe Cantelme and Dr. Randy Hancock conducted an extensive search for a new fire chief with the assistance of an Arizona based public safety employee recruiting consultant. The search resulted in 22 candidates from as far away as Georgia, Pennsylvania and Illinois submitting applications for consideration. After extensive background and qualification reviews, six applicants were selected for interviews with the Fire Board with Chief Nichols being chosen for the fire chief position.
Nichols’s 38 year fire service career began in 1972 as a wildland firefighter for the United States Forest Service. In 1978, Chief Nichols left the Forest Service and began his municipal firefighting career, joining the Glendale, Arizona Fire Department as a firefighter recruit. He became a certified paramedic in 1979 and after serving in the position of firefighter/paramedic, he promoted to engineer/paramedic, and then to fire captain/paramedic.
During his time in the field, he also served as a hazardous materials technician for the Glendale Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team and as a hazardous materials instructor. Chief Nichols also held the position of Recruit Training Officer where he trained new firefighter recruits at the Fire Training Academy.
From 2001- 2003 he served as a battalion chief/shift commander, supervising multiple engine and ladder companies and as a division chief, overseeing the Glendale Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services Division.
In 2003, Nichols became the Training Chief for the Peoria, Arizona Fire Department which has 154 sworn firefighters, 23 civilian support employees and a $19 million dollar annual budget. While serving the Peoria Fire Department, Nichols held multiple roles and responsibilities including firefighter recruitment, hiring and training and served as design team member for the $80 million dollar Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center. He also successfully authored numerous grant applications which provided funding for training programs.
From 2008-2009, Nichols served as the Acting Deputy Fire Chief where, in addition to overseeing the Training Division, he managed the Support Services Division, overseeing the purchases of multiple pieces of apparatus including two new fire engines, a new aerial ladder truck and a new water tender. He also managed the $3 million dollar contract for the specification and purchase of new self contained breathing apparatus.
Nichols holds an Associates Degree in Fire Science from Glendale Community College, a Bachelors Degree in Public Administration from Ottawa University, a Masters Degree in Fire Service Administration from Arizona State University. He is a 2010 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program. Chief Nichols has also served on the faculty of Glendale Community College, overseeing the Fire Science Programs.
Nichols holds membership in numerous professional organizations such as the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He serves as a board member and committee member of a number of valley and statewide fire service educational and training organizations.
Nichols was introduced March 28th Fire District Board Meeting which begins at 7 p.m. Chief Nichols salary will be $123,700. His first official day of work will be Friday.
Nichols is 58 years old and has been married for 34 years. He and his wife are the parents of two adult children and they have 2 grandchildren. He and his wife reside in Glendale.
The Daisy Mountain Fire Department has been under the very capable leadership of two interim fire chiefs since the passing of long time well respected Fire Chief Tom Healy in August of 2010. Current Houston, Texas Fire Chief Terry Garrison, who was hired as the Daisy Mountain Assistant Fire Chief in February of 2010, was the first interim chief but left in September after accepting the Houston position. Phoenix Fire Department Deputy Chief /Shift Commander Brian Tobin assumed the interim position in October after an agreement was reached with Phoenix Fire Chief Robert Khan and Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos. Chief Tobin will be returning to his position in Phoenix today.
The Daisy Mountain Fire District, which began service in 1989, is a special taxing district providing fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) along with ambulance transportation, hazardous materials response, public education and fire prevention to a 100 square mile area that includes the communities of New River, Desert Hills and Anthem.
The Daisy Mountain Fire District employs 100 full-time personnel including 12 civilian support staff and 88 sworn firefighting personnel with a minimum daily staffing of 26 personnel on duty among the department’s 4 stations.
The department staffs 4 paramedic engine companies, a paramedic ladder company, 2 paramedic ambulances and a battalion command vehicle. The department also maintains 3 water tenders, 3 brush trucks as well as a small reserve fleet.
For the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the District property tax levy is $10.7 million dollars and with $1.5 million in revenues, the district budget is $12.2 million dollars. The Daisy Mountain Fire District is a full partner in the Phoenix Regional Automatic Aid System.