Page 34 - Volume 20

Meet the Chief
Individual Introduction:
Name: Douglas C. Stewart Years in the fire service: 31
Career “journey”: I started my career in the Ellsworth Volunteer Fire Department in Ellsworth, Ohio. In 1987, I joined the U.S. Air Force as
a firefighter, ultimately spending 8 1⁄2 years with assignments in Charleston, South Carolina, Anchorage, Alaska,
and Eglin AFB, Florida. I left the U.S. Air Force for a position at Cleveland Hopkins Airport as a crash rescue firefighter. In 1997, I was hired by the city of Delaware as a firefighter/EMT. I served the city of Delaware for nearly 20 years in the capacity of firefighter, operations captain, and as the depart- ment’s first ever assistant fire chief. In July 2017, I was humbled and honored to be appointed as the fire chief for the Jerome Township Division of Fire.
Area Demographics:
Population served (including makeup, i.e. rural/industrial / residential, % of each, etc.):
We serve the area of Jerome Township and Mill Creek Township, which is
an estimated population of 11,500. A majority of the area is residential with
a mix of commercial and light indus- trial. Approximately 50% of Jerome Township would be considered rural and nearly all of Mill Creek Township
is rural.
Square miles covered:
Approximately 55
Form of government: Township trustees
Source of funding for political jurisdiction served: Property tax levies
Source of funding for depart- ment: Property tax levies
Department Makeup:
Number and makeup of staff (i.e., FT, PT, vol., organizational structure): 13 fulltime; 6 part time
Type and number of apparatus, number of stations: 1 station;
1 1997 Sutphen Engine (being replaced with a 2017 Sutphen engine in late 2017 or early 2018);
1 2002 Smeal Engine;
1 2005 International Horton Medic Unit; 1 2016 Freightliner Horton Medic Unit; 1 2004 Ford Grass Truck;
1 2017 Ford F150 Command Truck
Career benchmarks: I have a number of career benchmarks including obtaining my degrees and my Executive Fire Office training from the National Fire Academy. All of these pale in comparison to my most memorable benchmark of being selected to give the eulogy for Retired Fire Chief Wilbur Bills at his funeral. To be selected by his family has meant the world to me. Chief Bills was a great fire service leader, and I have had the privilege and honor of knowing him.
Current position: Fire Chief
Current department: Jerome Township Division of Fire
34 InCommand OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 • www.ohiofirechiefs.org