PORT ANGELES — The Clallam Fire District 2 Board of Commissioners has selected Justin Grider as the department’s new deputy fire chief, a position that has been vacant since July 1.
Grider was sworn in Tuesday evening and his first official day was Nov. 4.
Grider most recently served as the volunteer training/coordinator with Clallam County Fire District No. 3. He spent the past 18 months in that position after retiring from the fire service in New Mexico.
“We are excited to have Deputy Chief Grider onboard here at Fire District 2,” Chief Jake Patterson said in a press release.
“He brings with him a wide array of skills and experience in the fire service which will be an outstanding asset to our District and the public we serve.”
Originally from La Cueva, N.M., he started his fire career in La Cueva with Sandoval County.
His father was the fire chief and mother was the community dispatcher. Grider volunteered for many years before being hired in 1997 by the Los Alamos Fire Department.
He continued to volunteer with La Cueva and Sandoval County Fire Department for several years after being hired by the Los Alamos Fire Department.
Grider was promoted through the ranks in the Los Alamos Fire Department from driver engineer, captain, battalion chief of operations, training and EMS, and he eventually retired from the Los Alamos Fire Department in 2016 as its deputy chief.
In 2015, he was named the State of New Mexico Fire Officer of the Year. This award is given to the fire officer who has emphasized leadership, dedication, integrity, professional development, service to the public and contributions to the fire service as a whole
“Through the entire selection process the District received nothing but outstanding reviews and supportive comments about Deputy Chief Grider,” Patterson said.
“The most frequent comments by those who knew and previously worked with him were his love of the fire service and his outstanding relationships with both his fellow firefighters and the public.”
Grider lives in Sequim with his wife Cori and their children, Madisen, a senior at Sequim High School, and Charlie who is in the seventh grade at Sequim Middle School.
