Now hiring: Search is on for paid chief, firefighters

It’s been in the works for months. Following the approval of a Town Council ordinance last month, Glenrock is hard at work searching for someone to fill their newly created paid fire chief and paid firefighter positions within the Glenrock/Converse County Fire Department (GCCFD).
The town had not received any applications for the paid firefighter positions as of Tuesday, according to Town Clerk Tammy Taylor, and only one application for fire chief, she said.
The fire chief position will pay between $50,000 – $70,000 annually depending on qualifications. The paid firefighter position salaries are anywhere between $35,000-$50,000 depending on qualifications, Taylor said.
“We would like to have a chief onboard as soon as possible. As far as the firefighters, we would like the new chief to be involved in the hiring of firefighters and determining the number needed, so that will take a little longer,” Taylor explained.
There’s still time for anyone interested in the positions to apply. The first round of applications for all of the positions will close Feb. 14.
GCCFD Acting Fire Chief Rob Brewer said he’s still trying to decide if he’s going to apply for the new paid chief’s position, but he’d certainly like to see some of the department’s volunteer firefighters apply for the paid firefighter positions.
“It would be nice to give some of our local firefighters the opportunity. It’s a great way to help out your community. The pay aspect of it may be difficult for people, if they make more at their present jobs than what the positions offer, but there’s ways to make it work if money isn’t the main concern,” he said.
Glenrock, Rolling Hills and Western Converse County come under the purview of Glenrock’s fire department.
The force is historically an all-volunteer one.
Today, the department is made up of 26 volunteer firefighters, although they have the capacity to have up to 45.
“Ideally, we’d be happy with 40 -45 firefighters. We’re about 20 volunteers short right now,” Brewer said.
In 2019 the department responded to 337 incident calls. They also lost a few volunteers, Brewer noted.
“One moved out of Glenrock. The second was very busy and working quite a bit. He wanted to focus on his family. The third member we lost is also working a lot and just can’t commit to the time,” he said.
Members of the Town Council – Margaret Nunn, Roy Kincaid, John Moulton and AnnaBelle “Boots” Faunce – will help in  decision-making regarding the choice of a new fire chief, Taylor confirmed.
“The council will be involved in the candidate for chief since it is an appointed position. The mayor will make an appointment and the council will vote on it,” she explained.
Anyone interested in applying for the positions can contact ttaylor@glenrock.org or follow instructions to apply online at glenrock.org.