Mayor McLean announced Chief Mark Niemeyer as Boise's Fire Chief, effective November 30th, 2020. After an extensive nationwide search to find the best candidate for Boise, it became clear that Boise's best candidate is right here in the valley. “I heard loud and clear that Boiseans wanted a leader with a commitment to our community, thorough knowledge of our department and the skills to lead and partner,” said Mayor Lauren McLean. “That person is Chief Niemeyer.” Boise deserves the best. Chief Niemeyer is not only a proven leader; he is familiar with the area and ready to lead on day one. The City of Boise extends its thanks and deep appreciation to Chief Romeo Gervais, who stepped in as Acting Chief in early March.
Chief Mark Niemeyer has extensive experience in the Treasure Valley, having served as Meridian Fire Chief for over a decade. He started his career as both a full-time paramedic and volunteer firefighter. His roots go deep in Idaho emergency response, working ten years for Ada County Paramedics before joining the Meridian Fire Department as a Deputy Chief. Chief Niemeyer has a desire to continue to build on the great relationships he has throughout the city, valley, and state to ensure that everyone in Boise is safe. He has always gone the extra mile to serve. He is currently Meridian's Emergency Operations Manager, responsible for navigating the second-largest Idaho city through the COVID pandemic. He also has been able to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the community he serves. He will stand by his fellow firefighters, and he will advocate for a highly collaborative team that respects all who want to serve in the Boise Fire Department.
"We are incredibly excited to welcome a leader that we've admired and respected for years. We conducted a nationwide search to find the right person to lead the department. Going through that process, it became clear that Chief Niemeyer was always the right person for the job, and he was just up the road. We have the utmost respect for his leadership within the valley. His knowledge of COVID-19, emergency response, and the fire department will be irreplaceable in the months and years to come. His commitment to accountability, transparency, community engagement, and equity, fit what every resident of Boise desires from their Fire Department," said Mayor Lauren McLean. "We heard you, and Chief Niemeyer is what the community wants."
"I'm honored to be selected by Mayor Lauren McLean. The opportunity to lead the Boise Fire Department is something I've spent my career preparing for. I will be focused on building strong relationships throughout the City as well as incorporating data and technology, along with the thoughts and ideas of the men and women at the Boise Fire Department, to tackle public safety issues," said Chief Mark Niemeyer. "I'm excited to bring the passion, lessons learned, and skills I've developed throughout my career and put them to work to the benefit of Boise's residents and visitors."
"I am delighted that Chief Mark Niemeyer was willing to bring his extensive knowledge to Boise," said City Council President Elaine Clegg. "My experience working with him on regional issues at the Emergency Management Services Board has shown me that Chief Niemeyer is a collaborator who is responsive to issues when they arise and knows how to use data to find solutions. He leads by example. We heard what the public and the fire department wants and needs. I believe Chief Niemeyer has the experience, local knowledge, and forward-thinking ideas to fit seamlessly into our fire department and work with our community partners throughout the valley. Chief Niemeyer will deliver."
