September 6, 2007

WRT selects new fire chief

       Managing fire protection in a rapidly growing community is the challenge facing White River Township Fire Department's new chief.  Jeremy Pell will come back to the department after a six-year hiatus Monday as chief of a department that covers 22 square miles and 45,000 residents in the Center Grove area and Greenwood.  He served as deputy chief of administration at the Warren Township Fire Department before it merged with Indianapolis Fire Department in July.

         As White River chief, he'll manage a $6 million annual budget and supervise 102 people, including 36 full-time staff members. He'll take over for interim chief Scott Cassin, who replaced Mike Tibbetts.  Pell, 37, knew he had a knack for leadership when he started his career as a firefighter 18 years ago. But he said he never thought he'd rise through the ranks so fast.  "It's a young department, and I'll be a good fit," he said. "I remember what it's like to be out on the street."  Cassin, who has been in charge since March, said the department has the advantage of someone coming in who already knows how their department operates. Pell also has experience with everything from riding a truck to managing a budget, Cassin said.

         Pell's father served as a volunteer firefighter in Martinsville, which he said inspired his career choice. He has an associate degree in fire service from Ivy Tech Community College and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.  The Center Grove area resident started at White River Township as a part-time firefighter in 1989 and took a second job at the Noblesville Fire Department two years later.  At White River, he became captain and eventually deputy chief of operations.  Pell left in 2001 to work full time in Warren Township. He rose to deputy chief of operations and most recently helped manage the merger with Indianapolis Fire Department.

         Pell said he doesn't intend to do any restructuring at White River. He said he wants to place an emphasis on physical fitness to ensure the firefighters are as prepared physically as they are mentally.  The department has grown since Pell left in 2001, but there still will be many familiar faces when he introduces himself Monday.  His first appearance as chief will be at a Sept. 11 tribute at 1 p.m. Saturday at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, 1977 S. State Road 135.  See a related story by clicking HERE.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 
   

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