Second-generation firefighter boosts Liberty Twp. fire command ranks

Liberty Twp. has a new assistant fire chief, as Dave Greve will fill the post that has been vacant since 2016 with 33 years of fire experience with the Cincinnati Fire Department.

Greve was “pinned” at the recent trustees’ board meeting and began work at the end of May. He recently retired from the position of district chief, a post he held for seven years. Greve will be responsible for overseeing fire inspections, planning reviews, fire prevention and fire service public education, working on the new fire station project, as well as day-to-day operations, allowing Fire Chief Ethan Klussman to focus on the bigger picture.

“My goal would be to just take the pressure off of him so he can concentrate on the mile-high view and the long range planning and me just kind of take care the day-to-day operation of the fire department,” Greve said.

RELATED: Liberty Twp.’s growth means the fire department needs to expand. Here’s what it’s doing.

Klussman said they had two interview panels to narrow the 21-candidate field down to three and he selected Greve.

“Dave comes to us with a solid background in fire service and administration,” Klussman said. “He’s been a proven leader in the city of Cincinnati and I’m excited for him to join our leadership team.”

Greve helped oversee the construction of two new fire stations in Cincinnati, which will be an asset here as the township embarks on the construction of a new station on Princeton Road at Cincinnati Dayton Road. The trustees are hoping the $6.6 million estimate for the new fire station can be reduced by building a “hybrid” structure.

The total cost to build and furnish the new station 112 was estimated at $8.25 million. The township is replacing the old station located next to the Lakota School Bus depot on Yankee Road.

“He also has construction background which will be a great asset to the LTFD,” Klussman said of Greve. “It’s an exciting time to join the township and I look forward to his leadership as we continue to plan for the community’s future growth.”

The assistant chief’s position has been vacant because the trustees wanted Klussman, who was hired a year and a half ago, to be able to choose his own command staff. Klussman added three battalion chief positions a year ago, two were promoted from within and one was a new hire.

Klussman replaced retired Chief Paul Stumpf. Stumpf used to have two assistant fire chiefs but lost them through attrition, hence he was responding to nearly every call. When Klussman came he said it was essential to have 24-hour command staff. Trustee Tom Farrell agreed.

“When I asked Chief Stumpf almost two years ago what is the number one thing you need to help you do your job and better serve the residents, what would that be, and he said our command staff,” Farrell said previously. “Our command staff is at an all time low, it was due to illnesses and retirement. But it just didn’t make sense to any of our minds to have that done by anybody but the new chief.”

Greve, who is the son of a firefighter, is a native Cincinnatian with a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University and will earn his Masters of Public Administration degree this year.

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