By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

After 14 years as a firefighter with the Hays Fire Department, Lt. Darin Myers has been named the Ellis County Rural Fire Director.

He will replace Dick Klaus, who is set to retire this summer after 35 years, 22 as director.

Myers currently serves as a lieutenant on “B” Shift for the Hays Department and was hired last week.

He will take over as Rural Fire Chief at the end of March.

Myers said that while the two departments are different he believes his current role as a lieutenant with the HFD will help transition into his new position.

“It gives me a pretty good open mind to how career department works but I also completely understand and appreciate how volunteers work,” Myers said. “They’re two different departments.”

As part of his duties as a lieutenant, Myers helped to maintain the regional rescue team that is staffed by members of both the Hays and Rural Fire Departments.

Myers said he believes his work with the rural departments will help with the transition.

There are four different county fire companies that are a part of the rescue team, according to Myers, and the county has a “good group of volunteers.”

Myers added, “They know my work ethic, they know my level of skill and training and hopefully they’ll be willing and open to work with me and do more in the future.”

According to Myers, one of the differences between city and rural fire departments is the fact that rural departments are made up of volunteers.

Myers said that volunteers are “the backbone” of the rural fire department and said he is not looking to increase their training.

Instead he wants to focus on the quality of training and not the amount of time they are spending training.

“Taking into their considerations and their family life and still being there when the time calls is what’s important,” Myers said.