Twin Falls Appoints New Fire Chief

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Twin Falls City Council members welcomed the city’s new fire chief on Monday. Tim Soule was appointed to the position during the evening’s City Council meeting.

He replaces Chief Ron Clark who retired at the end of July.

Soule said he applied for the position in May and made several trips to Twin Falls during the interview process. A number of qualified candidates had applied for the position, said City Manager Travis Rothweiler, but Soule stood out among his peers. Eventually the candidate list was narrowed to three.

Rothweiler introduced Soule at the meeting.

“I believe we have found a quality candidate in Tim Soule,” he said, noting that early interviews took place on Skype. “Tim is no a consolation prize. He’s the only one who everyone unanimously wanted to get to know” better after the online interviews.

Rothweiler said during his visits to Twin Falls, Soule spent time at each of the department houses, getting to know staff members and making sure that he was a good fit for the city and, in turn, making sure the city was a good fit for him.

“We appreciate his due diligence,” Rothweiler said.

“We appreciate your investment in us,” added Mayor Shawn Barigar, who swore Soule into his new position on Monday.

Afterward, Soule addressed the council, saying he is excited to be a part of the Twin Falls Fire Department. He’ll manage a staff of 42, he told News Radio 1310 in a separate interview after the meeting, and said he is most excited to work with a skilled team in a growing community.

Soule applied for the job once the city posted the position due to the retirement of Fire Chief Clark, who had served in the department for more than four decades.

Soule started his career as a volunteer firefighter in Cleveland, Ohio, worked in Kalispell, Mont., and most recently served as deputy fire chief of the East Fork Fire Protection District in Minden, Nev.

Twin Falls made a good impression on him, he said, and he’s excited to be a part of the community.

His first impression?

That the fire department has an “extremely dedicated and committed group of hard-working and highly trained individuals,” he said.