CHUBBUCK — The City of Chubbuck has a new fire chief, and he's bringing 24 years of experience and a new philosophy of accountability to the department.

Chas Clark got his start in 2002 as a part-time firefighter and EMT. Through consistent performance, technical competency and leadership, he advanced to driver operator — the first person to hold that role at the Chubbuck Fire Department.

"I demonstrated the ability to lead crews and maintain fire apparatus and ensure overall fire readiness," Clark said. "Driver operator is the one that's in charge of the truck — not just driving safely to the scene, but also taking care of all the water operations that go with the truck, along with keeping track of all the equipment on an incident. Your sole job is to take care of the truck and operate it proficiently."

Clark then served as a captain before being promoted to battalion chief, a role he held for about eight years — until early this year, when Fire Chief Merlin Miller announced his retirement after 45 years of service to the community.

Clark and his colleagues sat down to discuss the department's future direction, and with more than 24 years on the job, Clark received the backing of his peers. During a Chubbuck City Council meeting last month, newly elected Mayor Rodney Burch formally appointed him fire chief.

"My philosophy is more focused on accountability, preparation and trust," Clark said. "I like the idea of a strong mentorship program along with a lot of training."

While the department already has a mentorship program, Clark said he wants to expand it with more technical training and a more advanced approach, building on basic day-to-day concepts.

About a month into his tenure, Clark said he does not anticipate movement on constructing a new fire station in the near term and that the department will monitor how things develop in the coming years.

Clark also wants to strengthen relationships with neighboring first responders and fire departments, including Pocatello, and develop a plan to transition to a battalion chief structure. Currently, the station does not have a full-time battalion chief on site around the clock.

"We don't really have that in place — our captains take over at night for that," Clark said. "I would like to have that be a full-time position. We have to call in part-time staff to help with that."

Part of the challenge involves the department's reliance on paid on-call staff.

"We're always investing money into that model," Clark said. "But the problem is, when we pay for all the training, they're not looking for a part-time job — they're looking for a full-time career. So we train them and then they go to other fire departments that are growing and have the ability to hire. We're always kind of cycling through new people. We train them and then they leave. It's just tough to find anyone who really wants to stay."

Clark said a battalion chief model could provide more consistent on-site leadership around the clock. A potential structure would utilize an incident commander operating under the Incident Command System — a standardized, on-scene management framework used by emergency responders to coordinate command, control and resources during incidents of all sizes.

For now, Clark said he is focused on upcoming budget meetings and building a working relationship with Mayor Burch as they both settle into their new roles.

"I'm just really willing and excited to get this year underneath me," Clark said. "I'm excited to see what happens and what the future holds for us."