Idaho Fire Chief Steps Down

April 22, 2014
Lewiston Chief Garry DeJong is retiring for health reasons.

Lewiston Fire Department Chief Garry DeJong will resign Friday from the job he has held since 2011.

City Manager Jim Bennett said the resignation is for health reasons. DeJong will return to the home his family still maintains near Denver, where he served as chief of the Evergreen Fire Rescue District in Colorado prior to accepting the Lewiston job.

Lewiston Division Chief Travis Myklebust will serve as interim chief while the city conducts a search for DeJong's successor, Bennett said. The city's human resources department will recruit a pool of applicants by posting ads with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and other applicable organizations.

Bennett said he expects the same wide array of candidates to apply as did in the 2011 search. That search yielded six finalists to replace Gordy Gregg, who served with the Lewiston Fire Department for 31 years.

DeJong will be able to cash in the retirement he has earned in his relatively short tenure, Bennett said, but he is not vested in the state retirement system.

DeJong could not be reached Monday. Bennett said the city will miss the high level of intelligence DeJong brought to the position.

"He is a very, very smart guy," Bennett said. "We certainly wish him well as he moves back to his old home."

A farewell reception for DeJong will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at the Lewiston Community Center at 1424 Main St. It is open to the public.

Mills may be contacted at [email protected] or (208) 848-2266.

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©2014 the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho)

Visit the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho) at www.lmtribune.com

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