THE Guam Fire Department now officially has a fire chief to oversee its overall operations.
Yesterday, Fire Chief Joey San Nicolas was formally sworn in at the Governor’s Office in Adelup by Gov. Eddie Baza Calvo. Present were more than 30 GFD personnel and civilian staff as well as San Nicolas’ family and close friends.
San Nicolas said some of his goals are to get GFD personnel much needed equipment and training.
“It’s all about upgrading our service to the public and getting it to the level that the island of Guam deserves,” he said.
One of the initiatives San Nicolas has implemented is Operation Dragon Slayer, wherein fire inspectors go out and confiscate illegal fireworks at local retail stores in villages.
His long term goals include full accreditation of the fire department for both fire and medical services.
“These programs that we’re doing all lead towards that aim of accreditation,” he said.
One of the battalion chiefs of GFD, Capt. John Wusstig, is looking forward to what San Nicolas has in store for the department.
“He was actually one of my young guys when he came in. I have high hopes. He’s got a lot of ideas that some of us who have been here a long time haven’t seen in a long time. We’re excited to bring the department to where it should be. He’s got my full support,” said Wusstig.
Born and raised on Guam, San Nicolas, 36, is from the village of Malojloj and is a 1993 graduate of Inarajan High School. Following high school, he joined the 17th Fire Cycle for the department on Nov. 1995 and finished a year later in 1996. Since then, he’s been with the fire department for about 15 years. He received a BBA degree in 2006 from the University of Guam under the Pedro “Doc” Sanchez Scholarship Program.
