GILBERT, Ariz. — A long-time veteran of the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department (GFRD), Rob Duggan has been named as the town's next Fire Chief.
Chief Duggan has served with the GFRD for 23 years and holds over 30 years of public safety experience.
Town Manager Patrick Banger praised his efforts, saying "Chief Duggan has dedicated his career to the Gilbert community and we’re looking forward to having him continue to serve in this new leadership role."
For the past seven years, Chief Duggan served as an Assistant Fire Chief, overseeing several divisions within the department. He was the department liaison for the Gilbert Public Safety Memorial and 9/11 Memorial.
Chief Duggan had the following to say about his appointment:
“My vision and goals for the department are to maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization, create a culture of innovation and pathways to innovate, and ensure we are the destination fire department by allowing our people to feel safe, valued, and have opportunities to thrive.”
The Gilbert Town Council confirmed Chief Duggan on Jun. 28. His first day on the job will be Jul. 11.
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What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
