Chief Debra Krebill To Retire From Marion Fire Department

Marion IA

21 April, 2022

3:52 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Marion: April 19, 2022 After nearly 31 years with the Marion Fire Department, Chief Debra Krebill has done it all. She's served as a paramedic, pump operator, fire investigator and more. She's also spent time educating the public about fire safety and prevention. Making life safer for Marion families has been a focus for her throughout her career. A retirement reception is planned to honor and thank Krebill for her years of public service. It will take place on Friday, April 22 from 2-4 p.m. at Fire Station No. 1, 100 Irish Drive, Marion. A brief program is planned for 3 p.m. Krebill didn't always plan to be a firefighter. She graduated from college with a criminal justice degree and was in school to be a paramedic when Maureen Boots, the first career female firefighter for the City of Marion, approached her about the opportunity to work for the department. "I thought I would give it a try because I knew I loved physical labor from growing up on a farm. The rest is history," Krebill said. She worked her way up through the ranks from district chief to deputy chief and eventually to fire chief in 2014. During those years, Marion changed a lot – and so did the ways firefighters work. When she joined the department in 1991, pretty much everything was manual. "Now, everything is computerized and managed via software," she said. When she retires, she plans on returning to her roots by helping at the family farm. She'll also spend time volunteering and traveling. But she plans to keep Marion as her home. The people she's worked with and the community members she's met – including some she helped on the hardest days of their lives – are very special to her. "Marion has become part of me, and I'll forever be in the City's debt for the wonderful life it's given me," she said. Krebill's last day on the job is April 30. Deputy Chief Jason Hansen will serve as interim chief for the first 90 days following Krebill's retirement. A second interim appointment is expected, as state law restricts interim appointments to 90 days. The City has entered into an agreement with GovHR to facilitate the recruitment process for Marion's next fire chief. This press release was produced by the City of Marion. The views expressed here are the author's own.