The director of Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training has been named the new superintendent of the National Fire Academy, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
Eriks Gabliks will start in his new role on Nov. 7, the USFA said in a statement Monday. He takes over for Tonya Hoover, who had been serving as both the academy's superintendent and the USFA's deputy fire administrator.
Gabliks had worked in a variety of roles during his time with the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, including training coordinator, fire program manager and deputy director. He was the first employee in the department's history to climb the ranks internally to become director, eventually overseeing more than 450 staffers.
Gabliks began pursuing opportunities in the fire service when he joined the volunteer fire company in Adelphia, NJ, in 1982. He also served with four volunteer, combination and career fire agencies over the years, including two in New Jersey—Howell Township Fire Company No. 1 and Howell Township Fire Bureau—and two in Oregon—Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue and Dallas Fire and EMS.
After receiving a bachelor's degree in fire service administration from Western Oregon University, Gabliks earned a master’s degree with honors in public policy and administration from Portland State University. He also finished the National Fire Academy's executive fire officer program at the National Fire Academy.
