Gillette to retire as fire chief June 30

In June 2004, then- Missouri Gov. Bob Holden, left, presented Nevada Fire Chief Bill Gillette an award for the department's participation in the Clandestine Drug Lab Collection Station Program, one of 22 local organizations honored. "We are all very proud of our Fire Department, and appreciate the Governor acknowledging the importance of having them in our community," Gillette said.

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

Nevada will soon be looking for a new chief for the fire department, Chief Bill Gillette announced his retirement effective the end of June.

At 51 Gillette isn't ready to dust off the rocker and do nothing but fish and tell stories.

"I don't even own a fishing rod," Gillette said. "I did get me some new golf clubs but I'll still be working, just in the private sector."

Gillette began with the Nevada Fire Department May 4, 1977, was raised to driver in 1980, promoted to lieutenant in 1985, to captain in 1987 and became chief in 1993. "I had been in the Navy and I got out in '75 and went to school at Fort Scott," Gillette said. "I got my associate degree and was offered a job with Nevada so I took it."

Gillette said he thought he was leaving the fire department in good hands and that while he would miss the people there were parts of the job he wouldn't miss. "You've got a competent crew back there," Gillette said. "Fires will still be put out and rescues will still be made. I will miss them. I won't miss standing out in the street at 3 a.m. though."

Gillette has been active in the Lions Club and in his church along with other organizations through the years.

"I've held every office in Lions except president and since I was chief at the time I just didn't feel I had the time to devote to it," Gillette said. "My church keeps me pretty busy too. I'm over an area just south of Butler to Miami, Okla. I've been involved with Boy Scouts when my son was younger."

Gillette showed a father's pride in his children, he has a son and a daughter. His son shares his first name but is always called by his middle name, Glenn.

"Glenn is in basic training in the Air Force," Gillette said. "My daughter, Gloria, is in Springfield where her husband is an officer on the police force."

Gillette said he has no plans to leave Nevada. "I've enjoyed this community and raised my kids here," Gillette said. "I have no intention of leaving."

One of the things Gillette plans to do is to do some traveling for his church, just not right away. "My son served a two year mission in Ecuador," Gillette said. "My wife, Cheryl, works for Dr. Kemm and we may do something similar when she gets closer to retirement."

Gillette said raising the professionalism of the department and being able to acquire new equipment were some of the things he was proud of during his tenure as chief.

"Certifications are my biggest accomplishment overall," Gillette said. "When I came we had three Emergency Medical Technicians -- now we have 12 or 13. Since 9-11 we've focused on our first responder role. We've been able to get hazardous material training because of the grants we've gotten. It's kind of unusual in a community of our size to have that resource. A lot of the money we got through the grants we spent on equipment and that has helped in our regular duties."

Training with other departments has made the area safer because of the improved coordination between departments according to Gillette.

"We had our first regular field exercise in Springfield with departments from all over southwest Missouri in April of last year," Gillette said. "This year we did a table top exercise dealing with WMD's."