Longtime firefighter resigns
Published 8:38 am Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Doug Myers has resigned from his position at the Niles Fire Department to take a position as fire chief at another department. (Submitted photo)
After 14 years fighting fires for Niles Charter Township, Lt. Doug Myers is leaving to take the reigns as fire chief in Covert Township.
The Niles Township Board of Trustees accepted his resignation at Monday’s regular meeting.
“I was looking at the cards there in Niles Township and thought this was the best move for me,” Myers said. “It is the best chance for me being a chief.”
Myers’ last day in Niles will be Wednesday, Aug. 27.
He is in the process of selling the home he and his family have lived in for the past 18 years.
“That’s the hardest part about the move,” he said. “We loved the school system in Buchanan and our church and I loved my job in Niles. I will always
consider Niles/Buchanan my home, but this place (Covert) is a better custom fit for me.”
When Myers applied for the Covert position, he said he was doing it more as practice. He soon learned that the department had a lot of appeal.
“In a short amount of time they’ve been very supportive of me,” Myers said. “It’s a whole new ballgame up here and I see a lot of potential for this department.”
He said he learned he got the job two or three weeks ago.
“I’d like to mention a thanks to Niles City Fire Department,” Myers said. “Our two departments have worked well together over the last few years and I’m going to miss the guys and the relationships that have been built there.”
Gary Brovold, Niles Township Fire Chief, said Myers was an instrumental part of the fire department.
“He headed up our training and kept track of our training requirements and made sure all our guys were meeting the requirements,” Brovold said. “It is difficult when you have turnover and have to get someone else to do that, but we have a program in place for that.”
The township is in the process of determining what to do with the position once Myers leaves.
“At this time, paying overtime is less of a cost than hiring a new person,” said Jim Stover, township supervisor. “We do have one firefighter who is on sick leave that will help reduce the overtime when they are back on duty.”
