Virts named GFFR chief
Jeremy Virts has been named the new Great Falls Fire Rescue chief, effective immediately.
Virts succeeds former chief Jeremy Jones, who assumed the role of deputy city manager in October.
Virts began his career with the Great Falls Police Department in 2000, reaching the rank of senior patrolman and serving as a medic with the High Rick Unit.
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He joined GFFR in 2006 and has most recently been serving as assistant chief of operations, and sharing interim chief duties with Fire Marshal Mike McIntosh since Jones departure.
In his time at GFFR, Virts has also served as a paramedic instructor, captain, acting battalion chief, deputy chief of emergency medical services.
He also served in the U.S. Army Reserve and has worked for several organizations as a paramedic, according to the city.
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Virts is the current chair of the Great Falls 911 Emergency Medical System, vice chair of the Montana Fire Fighters Testing Consortium, EMS coordinator of the Great Falls EMS System, and a member of the Montana EMS Board.
He has a degree in paramedicine from Great Falls College MSU, and completed Fire Officer I and Instructor C training through the MSU Fire Services Training School and Command of Multi-Incident Operations through the National Fire Academy, according to the city.
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Virts serves as an EMS lead instructor for the state and maintains his national EMT-paramedic certification.
“It is an honor and privilege to lead this department. My focus will be on working to ensure our members are prepared and supported to serve our community safely and effectively, while strengthening partnerships and staying engaged with the people we are here to protect,” Virts said in a release.
The city received 28 applications for the position, interviewing five candidates. Three of those were selected for in-person interviews, which included two internal candidates and one external, City Manager Greg Doyon told commissioners during their March 3 meeting.
