The new fire chief in Gresham has worn every hat imaginable. It is what makes him such an exciting hire for the city.

For 34 years Derik Minard worked his way up through every rank within a fire house. He was a firefighter, paramedic-firefighter, lieutenant, captain, EMS chief, battalion chief, deputy chief of operations, and fire chief.

“The profession drew me in because of the diversity of opportunities within the department,” Minard said.

He took full advantage. For a time Minard worked as a fire investigator. Then a mentor pushed him toward fire prevention, where he got an “eye opening” look into how cities are developed and codes created. He joined the wildland fire team in Colorado, dealing with those massive blazes that ripped across remote forested areas over the summer. He was hired to Savannah, Georgia, in a leadership role to change the culture of the department away from its “heavy-handed” practices.

“Being a firefighter allowed me to have all these different careers,” Minard said. “These phases of life to explore.”

“I know the work, I did the work, I’m certified in the work,” he added. “I come to Gresham with that credibility.”

Minard’s appointment to chief Tuesday, April 1, made it official after he had filled the role in the interim after his predecessor, Chief Scott Lewis, retired. Gresham chose him from 40 candidates, all of whom went through two rounds of screening interviews. The final interview panel featured fire chiefs from six regional departments.

“We look forward to having (his) leadership,” said Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall during the swearing-in ceremony.

As chief he likes to work collaboratively with other city departments. His previous two stints helming fire services was all about breaking down silos.

“I like being part of the big picture,” he explained. “I have always been in departments that are very active in the community.”

“This has been my entire life — I believe in what we do for the community,” Minard added. “That is what drives me. We make an impact on lives every single day.”

Aptitude for fighting fires

Minard served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany. Upon returning from active duty he didn’t know what the future would hold. What gave him the spark was one of those aptitude tests.

His career advisor in the military prompted him to take it, and the results had firefighting as the top fit.

“It was completely out of the blue,” Minard said with a laugh. “I had never thought about being a firefighter before.”

Luckily his brother was dating the daughter of a battalion chief in Westminster, Colorado, at the time. So he was able to get a foot in the door. He volunteered for a year with the Westminster Fire Department, and then was hired at 23 in 1991 as a rookie firefighter.

He served that department for 28 years before accepting a fire chief position in Savannah.

“It was tough to leave Westminster, but the chief at the time had several more years in him and I was ready to take that career step,” Minard said.

He was chief in Savannah for three years, and then returned to Westminster as fire chief.

“It was a chance to lead the department I grew up in,” he said.

Then the Pacific Northwest called.

Minard looked to move back to the region — he was born in Washington State — at the prompting of his wife Inga Kristjansdottir. The pair had met virtually during the pandemic, connecting despite being half a globe apart.

He was still in Savannah and she was living in Iceland. Three months of video calls later, they met for the first time as the world slowly began reopening. Though she happily joined him in the U.S., joining him in Colorado, she wanted to live somewhere closer to the ocean.

“When I heard about the Gresham job I wanted to make sure I knew what this place was about,” he said. “The strategic plan, values and principles all resonated, and the city leadership and department was working to apply those things.”

“I love that Gresham wants people to belong and be inclusive,” he added.

His plan is to retire here after 7-8 more years of service.

“I love my job and what I do,” Minard said.

“Plus my wife told me we are never leaving this place,” he added with a laugh.

Forging forward

The new chief can’t rest on his laurels. There are some critical issues facing Gresham Fire that must be addressed in the coming year.

“I come to this role not to make unnecessary changes, but to stay focused and meet with everyone,” he said. “It is important to stay connected with each group, it’s not just ‘lights and sirens.’ We all work together to make this department successful.”

Gresham Fire is still mourning a pair of deaths that occurred the year before — Brandon Norbury died of a heart attack during training and Brian Flowers from occupational cancer. Then there was Firefighter Spencer Tejedas, who had been grievously burned while responding to a duplex blaze. One of Minard’s early duties was joining a welcome-back celebration for Tejedas.

“This department was hurting with those line of duty deaths and Spencer being critically hurt,” Chief Minard said.

There is the ongoing questions of aging equipment and the need for new firehouses. The stations need upgrades, and problems with unhealthy levels of radon have been detected.

On top of all that, there is the continuing (sometimes contentious) negotiations between Gresham and the coalition of Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village over fire service. There is a strong reality where in a year’s time, Gresham Fire’s coverage area will be drastically decreased.

“The plan is to partner with the small cities and come up with something that works for everyone,” Minard said.

While the city managers and elected leaders lead the discussions, Minard has been asked to give a clear picture on fire operations and what each outcome would look like from a practical standpoint.

“We are very data-driven on how we respond as a department,” he said. “Everything we do is evaluated.”

There are other projects. Station 72 needs to be remodeled, and the department wants to construct a new station in East County once funding is secured. The aged training tower in Gresham will be replaced this year.

Gresham Fire is also finishing training an academy class featuring several lateral hires funded by the passage of the Gresham Safety Levy.

“For me the number one thing I need to do is care about the people in this city and department,” Minard said. “My legacy is the people, growth, development, and morale of Gresham Fire.”