BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Boise Fire has a new leader.
On Monday, Boise mayor Lauren McLean announced the city's new fire chief as Chief Mark Niemeyer.
Niemeyer has extensive experience in the Treasure Valley, having served as Meridian Fire Chief for over a decade.
He started his career as both a full-time paramedic and volunteer firefighter. Niemeyer also worked for Ada County Paramedics for ten years before joining the Meridian Fire Department as a Deputy Chief.
“I heard loud and clear that Boiseans wanted a leader with a commitment to our community, thorough knowledge of our department and the skills to lead and partner,” McLean said. “That person is Chief Niemeyer.”
The selection comes as a bit of a surprise as he wasn't identified by the city as one of its two remaining finalists.
"The Chief did not initially apply and was not included in the recruitment process," the city told CBS2. "That is why he was not one of the two finalists. When it became clear that he was the right choice, the office reached out to him."
He is also Meridian's current Emergency Operations Manager; he is responsible for navigating the city through the pandemic.
"We are incredibly excited to welcome a leader that we've admired and respected for years. We conducted a nationwide search to find the right person to lead the department. Going through that process, it became clear that Chief Niemeyer was always the right person for the job, and he was just up the road," McLean said. "We have the utmost respect for his leadership within the valley. His knowledge of COVID-19, emergency response, and the fire department will be irreplaceable in the months and years to come."
Niemeyer will officially start on Nov. 30.
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