New fire chief on duty in Charles City

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Fire Department has a new full-time fire chief as Sam Deverell began his first day on the job on Monday, July 1.

Born and raised in Charles City, Deverell graduated in 1992 and left to serve in the Army. After five years of service, Deverell got out and settled in Pennsylvania where volunteering for his local fire department would initiate a long career in the firefighting profession. Since then Deverell has worked as a firefighter with the Air National Guard, the Eastern West Virginia Airport, and the Letterkenny Army Depot.

More recently, Deverell pivoted from firefighter to safety inspector at the Letterkenny Munitions Center, while continuing to serve as a volunteer firefighter.

While Deverell has spent the better part of two decades on the east coast, he has regularly returned to Charles City to visit his family. Last spring, he and his wife, Candace, started making plans to relocate to Charles City to be closer to his family and raise their young daughter in a smaller community. Deverell applied for several jobs in the area and was excited to see that the city was looking for a new fire chief at that time.

“We were already starting to move some stuff back,” said Deverell. “I said ‘this is right in my lane.’”

Putting his hat in the ring, Deverell was among several candidates considered for the position. The city publicly announced that they had selected him on Thursday, June 27.

Deverell will take over the fire chief position from Marty Parcher, who came out of retirement last year to serve as the interim chief while also working on the other side of the fire station for AMR ambulance service.

In that time, Parcher initiated a systemic change in the department, putting more emphasis on involving volunteer firefighters and encouraging cooperation with other area first responders.

Deverell, who has experience as both a volunteer and full-time firefighter, said he intends to continue that progress by facilitating more training opportunities for volunteers.

“He has started to bring the numbers up,” said Deverell about Parcher. “I hope to continue to build on that.”

In the meantime, Deverell has spent his first day getting to know the ins and outs of the department; getting to know people, learning passwords and accounts, and picking up on ongoing efforts to keep the department properly equipped.

“Right now, we’re working on getting some new gear,” he said.

Deverell formally introduced himself to the Charles City Council on Monday evening and the city will be planning an open house for the community to meet him at some point in the future.

“Everybody has been very helpful and welcoming,” said Deverell. “I look forward to working with everybody and serving the Charles City community.”