Sun Lakes Fire District’s fire board members pin the Chief’s badge on the new SLFD fire Chief Troy Maloney at a board meeting where he was introduced to the community. Pictured left to right are fire board members Bernadette Halpin, John Crawford and Chairman Michael Sellers, Chief Maloney and fire board members Forrest Kohler and Diane Price.
Sun Lakes Fire Board names new fire department chief
Brian Curry
The Sun Lakes Fire District, after an exhaustive nationwide search, has named a new fire chief to succeed Chief Paul Wilson who left for a new position in California last spring.
Chief Troy Maloney comes from the Timber Mesa fire district in the White Mountains of northeast Arizona where he served as Deputy Chief of Operations.
Timber Mesa serves the combined communities of Linden, Lakeside and Show Low. Prior to that 2014 merger of those departments, Maloney had served as the chief of department for Linden.
Chief Maloney comes to Sun Lakes with a combined 29 years of fire and EMS experience starting his firematic career with the Dexter Fire Department in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After 17 years in Michigan he was given the opportunity to accept a position with the Lake Dillon Fire Department in Colorado where he worked his way up the ranks until accepting the Chief’s job in Linden.
Maloney has been on the board of directors for the Arizona fire district’s association (AFDA) representing Navajo and Apache counties and will continue his membership now representing Sun Lakes with the AFDA.
In an interview with Chief Maloney he said, “I am honored to be chosen and to serve the residents of Sun Lakes. I will be accessible to my citizens, guests and my department.”
Retirement party
Brian Curry
Acting Deputy Chief Tim Kelly (third from right, front row) retired from the Sun Lakes Fire Department after a 20 year career that saw him work through the ranks to Battalion Chief. He became interim Deputy Chief when Dan Guerra (second from right, first row) became acting Chief of Department when Paul Wilson departed for another position in California. Chief Guerra thanked Kelly for his assistance and support.
Firefighters help at bazaar
A contingent of Sun Lakes firefighters, led by union President Capt. Ron Puchta (far left) came to the “aid” of the Sun Lakes Women’s Association as they prepared for their annual bazaar by emptying out storage areas of sellable items. And proving that the brotherhood of firefighters knows no geographical or age boundaries, the SLFD was helped by former upstate New York (Cazenovia FD) firefighter Charlie Enders (second from right) who lives in the Sun Lakes Country Club area. (Photo by Brian Curry).