(Cushing, Okla.) Fire Chief Chris Pixler announced Derek Griffth has been named the new Deputy Fire Chief. Pixler said the decision was a tough one.
“I had a lot of qualified people to choose from,” Pixler said. “I’m happy to say Derek shares the same vision for the department as City Manager Steve Spears and I have.” He also noted Griffith has “good people skills” as well as training know-how and a good grasp on how to do the ever-present paperwork required of the Deputy Chief.
Griffith joined the Cushing Fire Department August 1, 2000. He said the decision to become a firefighter came shortly after graduating from Cushing High School. Before being promoted to Deputy he was a Captain on Shift A.
“Monday was my first day, and it will be an adjustment going from shift to day shift,” Griffith said. “But I’m excited to serve as Deputy Chief.”
Griffith is married to Jaime, an ER nurse at Hillcrest Cushing, and they have two children, Macy, age 3 and Grady, age 3 months.
Chief Pixler said now that Griffith has been named Deputy, the process has already started to hire another firefighter.
He said Cushing Fire Department is one of several fire departments who rely on EOC Tech (Eastern Oklahoma County Technology: www.eoctech.edu/EOCFTC/) in Choctaw for a list of qualified recruits. “They do the written testing and physical testing (*CPAT) necessary,” Pixler explained.
Aside from the search for a new hire, Pixler said promotional exams will start internally the first part of May to replace Griffith’s Captain position.
Those qualified for testing will take a written exam and then are rated by a panel of judges from outside the department. (For example the panel of three could be comprised of a fire chief from Guthrie, another from Sapulpa and yet another from yet another fire department.) Each candidate will be given a scenario a Captain might encounter – as well as an interview. Longevity and past employee evaluations are also considered in the final scoring. Whoever has the highest scoring that day will earn the “stripes” of Captain. Second highest would be Lieutenant.
For now Griffith will office in the basement of the fire department, but in a few months, he – along with the rest of the department – will move into the new safety center.
“It’s all coming along nicely,” Pixler said with a smile.
Get to know Deputy Fire Chief Derek Griffith a little better as he makes his first appearance as a guest on the Donna & Molly Show, Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 9 a.m. Tune in to 1600 KUSH radio or via streaming at www.1600kush.com
* “CPAT stands for the Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness/Fitness Initiative Candidate Physical Ability Test. Departments use the CPAT to assess the physical condition and abilities of potential candidates.The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) consists of eight separate events. The CPAT is a sequence of events requiring you to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This test was developed to allow fire departments to obtain pools of trainable candidates who are physically able to perform essential job tasks at fire scenes.” www.firefighterconnection.com
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