Welcome Chief Cleaveland

Leadership

The Garden Valley Fire Chief serves many roles and wears many hats. The Chief is a manager, accountant, mentor, medic, firefighter, mechanic, as well as a neighbor and member of the community. Garden Valley has been fortunate to have great leadership, and as a result, an outstanding Fire Department.

Legacy

Former Chief Jon DelValle passed away on September 14th 2021. We near the one-year anniversary of his passing but his legacy is ever present. Many that he taught, mentored and led, still respond to calls. The Department and community he served for two decades is a better place because of Jon DelValle.

Interim

Rob Glankler retired as Assistant Chief from Garden Valley in early 2021. The commissioners asked Glankler to return shortly after Jon’s passing. Chief Glankler stepped-up and offered much needed continuity and familiarity. Thank you, Chief Glankler, for your sacrifice and leadership.

Welcome

Paul Cleaveland comes to us from Lansing, Michigan. He has over thirty years of fire service experience from serving in all ranks including Engineer, Captain and for the last four years as a Battalion Chief. Throughout his career he has also been a Paramedic and has a passion for caring for those in need. As Battalion Chief he had a platoon of 45 personnel and worked as a team-member on numerous committees and special projects. He supported and set up fire-prevention tours and safety talks within the local schools and community. He has thirty-two years of pre-hospital care as well as 15 years as a field training instructor and was a leader in the departments version of internal affairs called “quality assurance”. Chief Cleaveland is excited to contribute his talents and years of experience toward GVFPD, and his desire is to continue the strong path set by his predecessors while bringing a fresh perspective on how to best grow the department as our beloved community continues to grow and thrive.

Moving Forward

With the imminent arrival of our new Fire Chief, the Fire District enters a new chapter. The future of the district and the level of service it provides must be shaped by taxpayers…the people who mostly foot the bill for the services they and others receive.

It is vital that the folks who live within the district play the dominant role in how the Emergency Services Infrastructure continues to get built-out. While there are a few people who have been vocal about their opinions and have my thanks for that, there is a much larger portion of the community that have yet to speak-up. The Board of Commissioners needs everyone’s input in order to meet the needs of the greater community.

Your Fire Commissioners typically meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 2PM at the main station. Folks are welcome to attend those meetings and voice their thoughts and concerns. Alternatively, please feel free to contact the Commissioners via email (board.assistant@gvfdidaho.com).

Kevin Kelley

GVFPD Commissioner, Sub-district #1