Jan. 13—Mentor Fire Chief Bob Searles is quick to admit the importance of the position the public education specialist has within the department in making a connection with the community and keeping residents informed on safety measures.
And in his opinion, there is no better person for the job than longtime firefighter Dan Garey, who eagerly accepted the role once it opened.
"Dan does amazing work, and he is the perfect choice to pick-up where (former PES) Rollin Pachinger left off in educating our community about risk reduction," Searles said. "Mentor has a strong focus on the wellness of our community and all city departments are invested when it comes to caring for our residents. And our police and fire department are uniquely positioned to promote activities to reduce harm because we see firsthand how people live and the needs they have."
"Dan is quickly becoming the face of the Mentor Fire Department, and there is no doubt he will continue to make a difference in our community," the chief continued. "We are fortunate to have him serving in this important role."
The 49-year-old Garey was born and raised in Maple Heights. He graduated from Maple Heights High School in 1993 and currently resides in Macedonia with his wife of 18 years and four daughters ages 10, 12, 15 and 17.
It was apparent to him early on that being a firefighter was a career he wanted to pursue.
"Like a lot of kids, growing up I was always awe-struck by firefighters and the difference they made in people's lives," Garey said. "I spent my childhood chasing fire trucks and dreaming of doing the job. I just never left that road and here I am."
After high school, Garey worked as a carpenter for 10 years while putting himself through Fire and Paramedic school. He was hired as a part-time firefighter for Mentor in August of 2000 and then offered a full-time position in December of 2003.
Garey has worked out of every fire station in the city over the years.
"Doing this job in general brings one a lot of satisfaction," he said. "However, I've watched several members throughout the years take this position and in my opinion make a bigger impression on people's lives."
"One person in particular is retired Lt. Don Zimmerman," he added. "I always found myself intrigued by his love for the job and the reactions he would get from the public regarding fire safety and education. He was well respected and appreciated by many."
Garey recognizes that part of being a firefighter is interacting with people many times at difficult moments of loss or anxiety. So being a public education specialist for the department allows him the opportunity to make a pre-emptive difference in some of their lives.
"When the opportunity to fill this position arose, I knew right away that I needed to take it," he said. "After over 20 years of being there for people in their worst moments, the thought of interacting with them in a better environment and potentially preventing these 'worst' moments intrigued me.
"I am not only excited to continue the department's efforts in educating its residents in fire safety and dealing with medical emergencies but am also looking forward to improving the public's transparency on our job and what we do every day," he added.
Searles is confident that Garey's experience and passion for the job, the department and the residents of Mentor will translate into a big positive in his new role.
"Dan has seen a lot in his 20-plus years of service and understands how to care for others," Searles added. "More impressive is his ability to communicate and the compassion he has for others. Dan understands how important good relationships are to the success of any program and what impresses me is the strong partnerships and mutual respect that he has already established with many of our community stakeholders."
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