DENNIS Mendiola is stepping down as the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services commissioner and will assume a new role as CNMI homeland security special assistant effective April 9.
During a press conference Wednesday morning held at the DFEMS administrative building on Capital Hill with the fire department’s divisional leadership, Mendiola said: “We have reached our milestones at DFEMS. There are still some issues we need to tackle but for the most part the department is now poised to carry out its mandated mission.”
Mendiola expressed his appreciation to the department’s command team.
“I have been fortunate to have a great team. I am very thankful for the receptiveness of this command team. A lot of these guys have been here for quite some time, some [for] more than 30 years… [so] for me to come in, and for them to accept my command, and appreciate the vision that I have for the department, and help me grow this department, I would have to say thank you to the DFEMS command team. No matter how successful the department is, I would not have done it without this team.”
Mendiola also expressed his gratitude to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres who appointed him to the position in Sept. 2019. “Without that confidence and opportunity from Governor Torres, I won’t be here today,” Mendiola said.
He said he is leaving the department knowing that he had established a strong leadership foundation that can withstand any situation.
“I believe I will be leaving behind a team that is going to fix cracks and turn those rocks, moving forward. I think every commissioner, any leader that comes in any position wants to fix everything, but we all know [that] appointed officials only have a short period of time. Coming into this department, I had to be realistic to what is most important, and to what is most achievable, because I cannot turn every rock, and see all the cracks — everybody knows that.”
Addressing his command team, Mendiola said, “For me, you come up with a plan, you come up with a vision, and you tackle the most problematic and detrimental [issues] to the department…. Every leader…in this department is now tasked and charged with that responsibility of…fixing those cracks and turning each stone.”
Mendiola said during his tenure, a separate command structure for the fire department was created.
“Separating the operation from administration gives emergency operations leeway to carry out missions without impediment,” he said. “We were [also] able to get Personal Protective Equipment or PPE for the entire department. We had old bunker gear…10-15 years old, and we were able to renovate buildings and fire stations. We were able to procure water rescue apparatuses, and we were able to get new vehicles — fire trucks and vehicles for Saipan, Tinian and Rota. We also renovated a new training facility in Marpi.”
Mendiola noted that this year, the fire department completed the 14th Fire Cycle academy.
Fire Chief Jessie Mesa will be the acting DFEMS commissioner until the governor makes an appointment, Mendiola said.
Rota DFEMS Resident Director Steve Mesngon, and Tinian DFEMS Resident Director Ray Dela Cruz, who were also present at the press conference, expressed their sincere gratitude to Mendiola for his support.
The fire department command team with outgoing Commissioner Dennis Mendiola in the department’s administrative building conference room on Capital Hill Wednesday.
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Commissioner Dennis Mendiola, with Fire Chief Jessie Mesa and Rota and Tinian DFEMS Resident Directors Steve Mesngon and Ray Dela Cruz.
