Third-generation Firefighter
Gilroy named Tygart Valley fire chief
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DAILEY -- Noah Gilroy was recently selected as the new fire chief for the Tygart Valley Fire Department.
The job became available when former chief Bob Elbon, who had been running the department for the past 26 years, had to step down for health reasons. Elbon had been with the TVFD for last 52 years.
Gilroy said Bob Elbon and his brother Joe, who has been with the department since 1968, were huge influences in his firefighting career. Gilroy is related to both Elbons, with Joe being his grandfather.
"Bob is the reason I'm at the position I'm at now," Gilroy told The Inter-Mountain. "He took me under his wing and I learned what I could from him -- now it's my turn."
Gilroy's father, Don, has also been a member of the TVFD for the past 30 years, making him a third-generation firefighter.
"Being a firefighter is a family tradition for me," Gilroy said. "I grew up in the fire house and I attend to die in the fire house. Being named chief is something I never thought would come this soon in my life."
Gilroy was chosen to take over as chief after a vote from his peers at a recent company meeting. At just 23 years old, he is one of the youngest fire chiefs in the state of West Virginia.
"I don't know if I'm the youngest, but I would guess that I am among the youngest in the state," said Gilroy. "It's safe to say that I'm one of the youngest fire chiefs in West Virginia."
Gilroy, who has been a captain with the department since 2019, first started working with TVFD when he was just 15 years old. Once he turned 18 and passed his Firefighter 1 test, he became a full fledged member of the department.
"My first couple of years the only thing I could do was wash trucks and clean up," Gilroy said. "During that time I was just there to kind of get the feel of the place and how things worked. It was a time to learn from the older members, find out what to do and not to do."
Gilroy said he is well aware of how much more he'll have to do with his new title, and hopes he can make some positive changes within the department going forward.
"I'm going to have a lot more responsibilities than I had in the past," Gilroy said. "I'm in charge of the fires in my territory and I'm in charge of the personnel in my territory. And of course there's a lot of administrative work you have to do. But one of my main goals is recruitment, we are always looking for new firemen. And I'd also like to replace an older truck that we have and bring the fire department into the 21st century."
Being a firefighter with the Tygarts Valley Fire Department is 100 percent volunteer work. The department has been in existence since 1941, and responded to 80 calls in 2022.
"It's 100 percent volunteer work and we are all trying to juggle our professional life with the fire department," Gilroy said. "Being a fireman is very time-consuming and you have to dedicate yourself to it.
"Just to be a level entry fireman, you have the Firefighter 1 certificate, which is around 120 hours with a 100-question test. So it's not easy and there are a lot of steps just to become a firefighter."
Gilroy, whose full-time job is with Fastenal, is a 2018 graduate of Tygarts Valley High School. He is the son of Don and Anita Gilroy.