Gilbert, Arizona Remembers 9-11
Gilbert, Arizona remembers the fallen in this year’s 9-11 Memorial Ceremony. Gilbert Fire & Rescue Chief Jim Jobusch and Mayor John Lewis spoke at this event.
Meet Gilbert’s New Fire Chief
Meet Chief Jim Jobusch, Gilbert Arizona’s new fire chief. Chief Jobusch has been in the fire service for more than 20 years and began with the Town of Gilbert in 1992. He said looking into the future, “We want people who are solid in their values and understand what they’re here for. This isn’t just a job, this is about helping people and taking care of the citizens.” Chief Jobusch is looking forward to working with the department and sharing his vision for the future of Gilbert Fire & Rescue.
There are currently 197 Gilbert Fire & Rescue employees, 180 of those are line firefighters.
Gilbert Fire: Defying Disabilities
Logan Carson is a typical eight-year-old boy in many ways. He loves math, soccer and is curious by nature. But what sets him apart from other kids are the extremely difficult health challenges he’s faced over the last year. A strep bacteria that could have ended his life, claimed one of his eyes, several fingers and a portion of his right leg. Logan now has a prosthetic limb and is learning how to navigate life with his new leg.
Gilbert Fire & Rescue Capt. Rob Duggan invited Logan and his family to Station #7 for a tour, but more importantly, to meet Mace Mattingly. This EMT Firefighter has a different story, but similar outcome. He too has a prosthetic leg.
Duggan said Mattingly’s injury and decision to amputate changed firefighter standards across the nation.“Before Mace, if you opened up the rule book, it said, ‘A below the knee amputation will prohibit a firefighter from doing their job.’ Well, that was written some years ago. And directly as a result of Mace and the work from the Gilbert Fire Department, our fire chief and the Fire Chiefs Association across the country, that standard was changed,” said Duggan.
At this special meeting, Logan experienced the job of a firefighter, learned that he too can dream big and Mattingly learned something as well.
“I learned that no matter how devastating an injury or an illness can be, and the effects of it; human beings and Logan himself, is very resilient and I think he’s going to do really well,” said Mattingly.
Town of Gilbert, Arizona 