Friday, March 29, 2024
 
Click HERE to sign up to receive Eye On Sun Valley's Daily News Email
 
Hailey Fire Chief Came Up Through the Ranks
Loading
   
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
 

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Hailey Fire Marshal Mike Baledge has been named Hailey’s new fire chief.

Hailey Mayor Fritz Haemmerle selected Baledge, who has been serving as the city’s deputy fire chief, from 20 highly qualified candidates solicited from a nationwide search.

He will step into the role vacated by Craig Aberbach, who ended his tenure on Sept. 30 so that his wife and he could relocate near their aging parents.

Baledge has 24 years of fire experience, beginning his career as a volunteer and moving through the ranks from a paid-per-call volunteer to deputy chief. He was hired full time by the Hailey Fire Department in 2002, taking on the role of fire marshal, under which he reviewed commercial building plans and inspected buildings.

Baledge noted that coming up through the ranks will serve him well in dealing with a fire department that relies significantly on volunteers, or paid-per-call firefighters.

“Our best emergency response is with paid-per-call firefighters because they bring with them all the expertise of their trades, as well as their emergency response training,” he said.

Baledge is an EMT, or emergency medical technician, instructor for the state of Idaho. He also teaches firefighter essentials at the local firefighting academy, which trains prospective firefighters every January.

He holds a national wildland Type 5 incident command certification and functions as engine boss and squad boss when deployed on wildland fires. He also takes part in Fire Prevention Week, which taught fire prevention and safety to 785 students this month.

The City of Hailey advertised the position through the International Fire Chiefs Association, which reaches more than 8,500 prospective applicants. Exiting Fire Chief Aberbach helped review the applications and identify the top five candidates, who were then interviewed by Mayor Haemmerle and Mayor-elect Martha Burke.

~  Today's Topics ~


Local Bands Offer New Perspective on Who's a Local

Can You Ski on Water? It’s Pond Skim Time

Jake Adicoff Wins Overall World Cup Championship while Other Skiers Do Well in SuperTour Finals
 
 

 

 

 
Website problems? Contact:
Michael Hobbs
General Manager /Webmaster
Mike@EyeOnSunValley.com
 
Got a story? Contact:
Karen Bossick
Editor in Chief
(208) 578-2111
Karen@EyeOnSunValley.com
 
 
Advertising /Marketing /Public Relations
Leisa Hollister
Chief Marketing Officer
(208) 450-9993
leisahollister@gmail.com
 
Brandi Huizar
Account Executive
(208) 329-2050
brandi@eyeonsunvalley.com
 
 
ABOUT US
EyeOnSunValley.com is the largest online daily news media service in The Wood River Valley, publishing 7 days a week. Our website publication features current news articles, feature stories, local sports articles and video content articles. The Eye On Sun Valley Show is a weekly primetime television show focusing on highlighted news stories of the week airing Monday-Sunday, COX Channel 13. See our interactive Kiosks around town throughout the Wood River Valley!
 
info@eyeonsunvalley.com      Press Releases only
 
P: 208.720.8212
P.O. Box 1453 Ketchum, ID  83340
LOGIN

© Copyright 2023 Eye on Sun Valley