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WVFD swears in new chief

By Kristi R. Garabrandt 4 min read

WELLSVILLE -- Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department held a swearing in ceremony for a new chief for the first time in 36 years.

Firefighter Jarrod Grimm was sworn in as chief on June 23 at the Wellsville Fire Department in a ceremony attended by fellow firefighters, friends, family and local fire chiefs.

Grimm, who was given the Oath of Office by retired firefighter Gregg Stanley, fills the position left vacant with the retirement of former Chief William Brown, who held the position 37 years.

Grimm was selected for the position after receiving the majority of the votes from his peers at the Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department and the community.

Stanley gave the convocation, Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel read the Firefighters' Code of Ethics, firefighter Cody Cole shared a story of Grimm and the history of the firefighter's Badge and Assistant Chief Brad Osborne spoke on Unfettered Access.

Grimm's wife Rachel pinned his badge on him while his two daughters, Zaylee, 7, and Jordyn, 8, looked on.

Rachel said this was a huge honor for him and for her to be able to pin his badge on him.

"He wasn't a part of the fire service when we lived in Virginia and his heart was empty. It didn't feel the same," Rachel said. "It's a huge honor and I am excited and happy for him. It's been a long time coming and there's been lots of sacrifice. I am very humbled as well as he is."

Lt. Scott Deitch Sr. said in his welcome speech that with the volunteer fire department's hope and Grimm's guidance it would take them to the next level as a fire department.

Grimm began his firefighting career with the Highlandtown Volunteer Fire Department at the age of 16. It was around the early 2000s when Grimm came to the Wellsville Fire Department. When his family moved to Georgia in 2007, he joined the Columbia Fire Department. After his wife Rachel accepted a job with the Wellsville School District, the family moved back home to Wellsville and was reinstated onto the Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department in 2016. After that he went back to school to get recertified and work his way up the chain of command from firefighter to now chief.

"Jarrod (Grimm) is well known around the fire service for his dedication and ability to look at all aspects of the job before making any critical decisions," Cole said.

His dedication has never slowed down, and he has taken every class he could to excel himself and the department any way he could. After learning something he would be sure to teach it to the members of the fire department, Cole said.

Grimm said that there were so many people he wanted to thank and that he was very humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be the chief for the Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department.

"My love for the fire service started probably 28 years," Grimm said.

Grimm told the story about how he was at the Highlandtown Volunteer Fire Department as much as he could be when growing up. He was raised by a single mom, but often felt like he had 30 dads with those at the fire department who were always teaching him life lessons, some of which might not have been enjoyable to learn but were always educational.

Grimm recalled how he has wanted to be a firefighter and nothing else since he was 13 years old. When he was 15 former Chief Brown told him to put on a suit and an air pack and go put out a fire during training. It was at that point that Grimm realized it wasn't that he wanted to be a firefighter, it was he had to be a firefighter.

"I'm very proud of the men and women we have in this department and I look forward to leading them as their chief," Grimm said. "Without a great team, the leader of them is nothing, and I truly believe that."

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