LIHU‘E — Tomorrow, the Kaua‘i Fire Department welcomes new Fire Chief Steven R. Goble to the company with a change of command ceremony. The event will be aired on Ho‘ike Kaua‘i Community Television after the ceremony, time TBD.
Goble formerly served as the chief of the Henderson Fire Department in the Las Vegas metropolitan area for five years, after rising through the ranks of the department from firefighter to Deputy Fire Chief, Division Chief of Special Operations and Fire Captain over the course of 26 years.
Goble most recently served as the executive director of emergency management at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, the largest integrated resort in the United States. There, he was instrumental in building an emergency management program with international coworkers, according to his resume.
In Henderson, Goble oversaw nine fire stations including more than 250 full-time personnel covering more than 105 square miles. The department responded to over 28,000 calls which boasts a population of more than 290,000 and 600,000 annual visitors, according to a press release.
Goble, who arrived on the island earlier this month and has completed a 14-day quarantined, was selected by the Kaua‘i Fire Commission of 67 applicants, after a years-long search that began when former Fire Chief Robert Westerman announced his retirement in June 2018.
“Not only was Steven the best-qualified candidate he was also the best fit for our community. He has more than 25 years of experience in fire service and almost a decade in senior management roles,” Alfredo Garces Jr., Fire Commission Chair said in a press release last month.”
Goble holds a Masters of Arts in Homeland Security and Defense from Naval Postgraduate School, a Bachelor of Science in Public Safety Administration from Grand Canyon University and an Associate of Science in Fire Service Management from the College of Southern Nevada.
•••
Sabrina Bodon, reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
