The first paid fire chief of Cortez announced he is stepping down after nearly two years of service.
Don Eberle, of the Cortez Fire Protection District, made his decision to retire public Feb. 10 during the fire district's monthly board meeting. He began work in April 2008 as the first paid chief in the fire district's 123-year history.
"Forty-four years is enough in the firefighting business," Eberle said Tuesday about his upcoming departure. "It's been a rewarding career."
Eberle's resignation will begin April 1. He moved to rural Dolores two years ago from Flagstaff, Ariz., and has 27 years of experience as a fire chief.
Eberle, 68, was chosen for the fire-chief position out of 22 applicants. The Cortez fire district's board and a committee of volunteer firefighters interviewed four finalists for the job.
Overseeing the transition of the Cortez Fire Department from a volunteer agency to a combined force with paid firefighters was the main highlight over the past two years, Eberle said.
"It was a positive transition and rewarding to have the type of buy-in and professionalism here," he said.
Before taking the chief's job in Cortez, Eberle noted that he helped merge two other fire departments into a combined volunteer-paid force. He said the process in Cortez was the most rewarding of the three.
"This was the quickest transition," Eberle said. "It's been a real pleasure and honor."
Keenan Ertel, chairman of the board for the fire protection district, said Eberle "laid a good foundation" in combining a volunteer and paid fire department and always put a lot of time and effort into the job.
"Don's a consummate professional as a firefighter," Ertel said. "We're devastated he's had to retire."
Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Vandevoorde will assume the role of acting chief on April 1 until a permanent replacement is named. Eberle said he has encouraged Vandevoorde to apply for the fire chief position.
Eberle started as a firefighter at age 18 with the U.S. Forest Service. He later served as the fire chief for the Verde Valley Fire District in Arizona, the Sun Lakes Fire District in the city of Cottonwood, Ariz., the Salinas Rural Fire Protection District in California and the city of Flagstaff.
Eberle looks forward to retirement. He and his wife, Gail, plan to remain in Montezuma County.
"I'm looking forward to spending time with my wife, the horses, kids and grandkids," said the chief, who noted that he has eight children and 26 grandchildren.
The Cortez Fire Protection District encompasses approximately 165 square miles in Montezuma County, including the city of Cortez. Paid positions within the district are the fire chief, assistant fire chief, fire inspector and administrative assistant. There are three volunteer firemen and 29 reserve or paid firefighters in the district.
An advertisement on the Cortez Fire Department's Web site, www.cortezfire.com, states that pay for the chief's position is $55,000 per year.
People interested in applying for the job of Cortez fire chief can contact Nancy Crummett, an administrator with the fire district, at 565-3157. Applications will be accepted through March 12.
Chief Eberle
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