Justin Lee will start as Eudora’s new fire chief in March, the city announced Wednesday.
Lee has been in the fire service for 30 years, and has been the fire chief of the Hope Valley- Wyoming Fire District in Rhode Island since 2015.
He got to experience Eudora firsthand when he taught during the International Association of Fire Chiefs last spring. When he heard about the job opening, he was interested in moving to the Midwest and starting a new journey, he said.
“It’s a great community. It’s got a great small-town feel,” he said.
Lee replaces Mindy Andrasevits after her resignation in the fall.
Lee said it feels like a good opportunity to help the department and community grow. He’s most looking forward to providing leadership to the station’s firefighters and working with the city manager and commission to make sure the city has a plan going forward.
Community outreach is another thing he enjoys about being in the service, he said.
When he heard he got the job, he was excited about the big changes ahead, he said. Lee is looking forward to getting out in the community and has already found a home in Eudora, he said.
He will move to the area the first week of March and start as fire chief shortly after.
“I’m just excited to start building relationships with – you know, I’ve met all the department heads, and they seem great. So everyone I’ve dealt with so far in Eudora, it’s been a great, positive experience,” he said.
Lee graduated from Columbia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in fire services administration and is working on a master’s in business administration, according to his LinkedIn.
City Manager Kevyn Gero said the city is excited for Lee to join the team with his nine years of fire chief experience.
“His fire service experience, his training background, his educational achievements and his leadership make him a good fit as our next fire chief,” Gero said.
She said she is confident Lee will carry on the professionalism and legacy of the department.
Within the first couple of months, Gero expects Lee to be focused on meeting folks in the community, understanding the city’s organization and establishing relationships with the fire department.
Gero said Interim Fire Chief Chris Hull would return to his assistant fire chief position after Lee starts.
