Third-generation firefighter ‘loves what she does’
By Liala Helal
Pioneer Press
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — Judy Smith Thill can clearly remember the first time she saw a house fire when she was about 6 years old. Her father, a firefighter, couldn’t find a baby sitter, so he brought her along in the fire truck. As she watched the home burn, she thought about the people who lost their belongings and their memories.
It frustrated her so much that she decided to go into the fire service herself, so she could help people in the community.
This week, Smith Thill was named Inver Grove Heights’ first full-time fire chief. She was the unanimous choice because of her experience and “apparent love of the fire service,” said Inver Grove Heights Assistant City Administrator Jenelle Teppen.
“You talk to her, and it becomes clear within the first few seconds that she loves what she does,” Teppen said. “She’s the best fit for our department’s current and future needs.”
The hire came after several years of talking about hiring a full-time chief and several months of recruiting. For 50 years, the department of 60 volunteer firefighters operated with volunteer chiefs.
“We wanted to make sure the need was really there,” Teppen said. “We’ve grown to the point where someone to manage day-to-day (fire) operations is necessary.”
Smith Thill, 49, describes being appointed fire chief for “such a progressive city,” as the peak of her career.
“I’m very grateful to the city of Inver Grove Heights and the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department for selecting me as their first full-time fire chief,” Smith Thill said. “That is a huge honor for anyone.”
She’ll start Sept. 4. She currently works as a deputy fire chief and emergency management coordinator for Maple Grove, where she’s been for 11 years. She has an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University and a bachelor’s degree in safety sciences from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Maple Grove Fire Chief Scott Anderson said Smith Thill’s tenure with the department has several highlights. She secured two grants for hundreds of thousands of dollars for the fire department to switch to a new radio system and replace breathing equipment. She has been active in teaching the community about safety and has developed a program for emergency response workers’ highway safety, which she’s been teaching around the state for a few years.
“It’s going to be tough to replace her,” Anderson said. “There’s only one Judy, and she’s leaving. We won’t be able to find another like her, so it’s going to change the environment here; things will be different.”
Smith Thill is people-oriented, adaptable to different situations and has common sense and a lot of experience, he said.
“I will miss working at Maple Grove,” Smith Thill said. “They’ve been very good to me over the years.”
In her new position, one of the first things she’ll have to deal with is Dakota County’s switch to the new 800-megahertz radio system. She’ll have to make sure all the firefighters are up to speed with the new communication tools.
She expects to face the same challenges as those before her who worked as on-call fire chiefs.
“It’s just making sure that lines of communication stay open and maintaining a high quality of service to the community,” she said. “There are some huge shoes to fill with the fire chiefs that have been there in the past. I hope to fill those shoes and continue to follow the tradition of good management practices.”
One of her goals is to make sure the city improves fire-prevention efforts and continues developing relationships with police in the city and surrounding areas.
“My vision for the fire department is to keep it an on-call department as long as we can safely and effectively maintain that,” Smith Thill said.
She’s impressed with the city’s on-call department and its history. The department has done a great job keeping up with new equipment, she said.
When she’s not working, Smith Thill participates in recreational volleyball and softball. She also loves spending time with her husband, three grown sons and several grandchildren.
One of the biggest frustrations on the job is watching people lose their homes and lives, she said. But as a third-generation firefighter, she’s doing her part to help prevent that.
“I’m excited and looking forward to getting to know the community and helping the people as well,” she said.
Copyright 2007 Pioneer Press
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News