IFFD Promotes Two Officers
The city of Idaho Falls ushered in a few changes Friday within a major department.
Fire Chief Dean Ellis pinned a new captain and an inspector at a ceremony Friday afternoon.
With the bang of a drum and the call of a bagpipe, two men in uniform received long-awaited promotions.
“We that know the work that a firefighter has to do believe this is a noble calling,” said Ellis.
Eric Day has been riding in the truck for 15 years. He said now he’ll see a different side to fighting fires, through the eyes of an officer with the Idaho Falls Fire Department.
“The process involves hundreds of hours of studying, practicing with some of my co-workers and working through scenarios,” said Day.
Day said he’s waited six years to make captain. It’s a rigorous process to qualify, plus there’s not a lot of turnover. He received a promotion after an honored colleague Capt. Pete Stevens, stepped down. Day proudly wears the badge his father once wore, pinned on by his wife.
“These slots don’t open up very often, so I feel very honored and privileged to be able to take one of the slots from one of my good friends who just retired,” said Day.
Scott Grimmett, a new fire inspector, has served with the U.S. Coast Guard for years, serving active duty in places including Iraq and Alaska. He’ll educate the public on fire prevention while making sure buildings are up to code.
“I was in the Fire Academy for two years, and we took courses on fire prevention, so I’ve always felt like I wanted to work and be exposed to this side of the job,” said Grimmett.
Working with the fire department can be a life-threatening job, but for these two men, it seems to be in their blood.
“It kind of fills all my needs up of who I am as a person,” said Grimmett.
“My son is contemplating becoming a firefighter, so he would be the third generation. That would be really exciting for him and for me,” said Day.
The Pocatello Police Department announced three new members of the force this week: Robert Grayson, Sean Peterson and Richard Willie.
