Lewiston tabs Rightmier as fire chief

A man who filled in temporarily after Travis Myklebust retired as the city of Lewiston’s fire chief has agreed to drop the word “interim” from his title.

Greg Rightmier is the city of Lewiston’s new fire chief, according to a news release issued late Tuesday afternoon by the city of Lewiston.

“As we look ahead, evaluating coverage standards, staffing levels and service delivery methods will be essential,” Rightmier said in the news release. “Continued collaborations with neighboring agencies, hospitals and Lewis-Clark State College will be instrumental in achieving our goals.”

The support of Lewiston Mayor Dan Johnson and Lewiston’s city council are important, he said.

“Additional financial backing will be necessary as we explore service delivery enhancements and plan for the future to address increasing demands for service,” Rightmier said.

The implementation of a 2020 fire station strategic plan is vital to maintain response times and “service excellence,” he said.

Right after being promoted to interim fire chief in June, Rightmier said he wasn’t interested in serving in the post long term.

At the time, he said his goal as interim fire chief was to provide continuity in the department while the city searched for a new chief.

But Tuesday, Rightmier said what he learned as interim fire chief convinced him he is a good fit for the job.

In recent months, he said, he gained an even greater appreciation for the expertise of Johnson, the city’s administrative team and the leaders of the union representing the city’s firefighters as well as the life-saving skills of the municipality’s firefighters and fire paramedics.

Rightmier, 56, was Lewiston’s deputy fire chief for almost two years before being named interim fire chief. He has close to 40 years of experience as a firefighter and paramedic.

Just prior to being hired in Lewiston, he was a battalion chief with the City of Olympia Fire Department in Washington for three years where he had also served as a company officer for 14 years.

His career also includes work as a private ambulance paramedic, volunteer firefighter and wildland firefighter in Washington and California.

He and his wife moved to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley because they wanted to live in a place with small town values, a sense of patriotism and open spaces, Rightmier said.

“We start our city council meetings with the pledge of allegiance,” he said. “We start our rodeos with a prayer and singing the national anthem.”

The selection of Rightmier follows a search that lasted for months. Two candidates interviewed in Lewiston for the post, but neither was selected. They were Jay Wittwer, a former fire chief of Tukwila, Wash., and Scott Goodwin, who had been the interim fire chief for the city of Rio Vista, Calif.

Rightmier is the right person to lead the Lewiston Fire Department into the future, Johnson said in Tuesday’s news release.

“(His) dedication and expertise have been evident throughout his tenure,” Johnson said.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.