Assistant Chief 'Training/Support' Boyd Smith
Assistant Chief Boyd Smith oversees the areas of training and education, certifications, and fire prevention for the West Valley Fire Department. He has been in the Fire Service since 1986. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, he joined the West Valley Fire Department in 2001, after a brief (20-year) stop in New Mexico while serving as a member of the United States Air Force.
His certifications include Fire Officer II, Level III Instructor, Advanced Firefighter, and Driver/Operator-Pumper from the TX Commission on Fire Protection; Accredited Advanced Firefighter and Level II Instructor from the State Firemen's and Fire Marshal's Association; and Fire Officer II from the New Mexico State Firefighters Training Academy, where he also serves as a member of the Adjunt Faculty.
Chief Smith holds Associate of Applied Science degrees in Fire Science (New Mexico State University) and Instructional Methodology (Community College of the Air Force).
Chiefsmith@wvfd.info
Captain Martin Lerma is not a new face to the West Valley Fire Department or the community within the West Valley district. Captain Lerma grew up in Anthony, TX and joined the Canutillo Fire Department in 1996 when he was only 19. Captain Lerma has seen the department grow and evolve. From the departments name change to the now West Valley Fire Department to the acquisition of several sub stations throughout West El Paso County, and the tripling in call volume, Lerma has been around for it all.
Lerma, was made a Lieutenant in 2001, and was then promoted to Captain twp years later in 2003. His familiarity and connection to the community of Anthony has earned him his current position of Anthony District Captain.
Aside from his duties and responsibilities with West Valley Fire, Lerma is also a career firefighter with the City of El Paso. He says his experiences with the volunteer fire service is what motivated him to pursue a full-time paid career with El Paso Fire back in 2000.
Lerma is a skilled firefighter and department leader with credentials that rival officers within the fire service. Some of his certifications include, but are not limited to; Firefighter 1 ,EMT-B, Leadership1,2,3 from NM. Firefighter 1 and 2 from Tx, Emt-B, HazMat Tech,WMD (Cobra) WMD incident response to terrorist bombing, fire inspector 1, confine space, IS100,200,700,800 and also holds 62hours of college credits in fire tech.
Lerma says, "I volunteer because I love the fire service and also the joy of helping people who are in trouble, people should volunteer because there is always someone less fortunate then you that needs your help."
It's that creed that has dictated the majority of Captain Lerma's adult life. He encourages anyone interested in emergency services to follow the same philosophy, and look into volunteer opportunities within the West Valley Fire Department.
captlerma@wvfd.info
Lieutenant 'Vinton District' Mathew Feltner
Lt Mat Feltner is assigned to the Vinton District. Under the direction of the Vinton District Captain, he oversees the daily operations of the Vinton Quarters. Other responsibilities include NFIRS report verification, managing the departments computer based fire training, issuing photo identification for department personnel, and CPR instruction for the department. Originally from Columbus Ohio, he has been a resident of El Paso for fifteen years with brief residencies in Indianapolis, Indiana and Southern New Mexico. After traveling the road of law enforcement for a while he had a change of heart and wanted to join the fire service. In 2003, he found the West Valley Fire Department and became a member. Lt Feltner’s full time job is working as an Industrial EMT and Security Officer for a local mining corporation. He holds certifications from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) as a Basic Firefighter, the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshal’s Association of Texas (SFFMA) as an Advanced Accredited Firefighter and the NREMT and TDSHS as an EMT-Basic. Other specialty training includes High Angle Rope Rescue Technician, Hazmat Operations, and American Heart Association BLS Instructor. He is currently in the process of obtaining his NREMT-Paramedic certification with plans on obtaining TCFP Instructor and Inspector certifications in the near future.
ltfeltner@wvfd.info
Leadership
