John Steinbeck, the deputy fire chief and emergency manager for Clark County, NV, will take over the fire department after current Chief Greg Cassell retires early next year, the county announced.
"Chief Steinbeck's experience is wide-ranging and deep, and he is well-respected internally and throughout the community," Clark County Manager Yolanda King said in a statement. "He also has excellent working relationships with federal, state, regional and local stakeholders."
Cassell's last day as chief is Feb. 6, and the County Commission is set to approve Steinbeck's appointment Dec. 3. Once approved, Steinbeck's first day as chief would be Feb. 7.
"Chief Cassell has been an incredible leader who has endured many challenges," King said. "He will be missed."
In selecting a new fire chief, county officials recruited internally and narrowed the field to two candidates. Cassell and King then conducted final interviews.
Steinbeck became a Clark County firefighter in 1990, and he has held a variety of positions in the department, including battalion chief and training captain. He has been deputy fire chief/emergency manager since February 2014.
"The men and women that serve on our fire department are incredible, and I am truly humbled by this opportunity," Steinbeck said in a statement. "Chief Cassell has done an amazing job, and I want to thank Ms. King for entrusting me with this very important position. Working together with all of our community partners, we will continue to provide exceptional service to our community."
The Clark County Fire Department is the largest in Nevada, with 30 full-time fire stations and 13 volunteer fire stations in rural areas. Its full-time staff includes 700 paid employees and about 200 rural volunteer firefighters.
