Chief & Staff Biographies

William “Dee” McCluskey, Fire Chief

Chief Dee McCluskey started his Fire Service career back in 1980 in Fire Districts and Departments surrounding Metropolitan Phoenix and began working at the Heber-Overgaard Fire District as a “reserve firefighter/paramedic” in 2014. In 2018 assumed the role of Deputy Chief and now currently serves the District as the Fire Chief overseeing the District’s Admin, Fire and EMS Operations. He served in several Valley area departments and in all levels from a Fire Fighter/Paramedic, to Assistant Chief in Kalispell MT and Fire Chief for Rye Brook NY. Chief McCluskey has an AAS degree in Paramedicine and a BA in Business Management. He is married to Teressa and has 3 children, Megan, Hannah, Cole and has a little rescue dog, Lexi.

Jason Payne, Deputy Fire Chief

Deputy-Chief Payne has been in the fire service for the last 25 years. As a paramedic, EMT and firefighter, his dedication to public service has always been at the forefront of his career. He, his fiancé and two children moved to Heber-Overgaard in June of 2020 from Fountain Hills and have enjoyed every minute of mountain living. Community service and involvement are something he believes in very strongly.

Captain Wade Allen

Captain Wade Allen has been in the fire service for over 20 years and has served as Fire Fighter, Paramedic, Captain, and interim chief. Captain Allen and his shift have worked to increase public knowledge for many years. They have been involved with the school and various agencies on the mountain to help build a higher base of education for both those in the industry and the general public.

Captain Kevin King

Captain Kevin King has been in the fire service for nearly 20 years and has served as Fire Fighter, Paramedic, Captain, and interim chief. He continues to work to serve the residents of the Heber-Overgaard and the surrounding area and push the bar on the level of excellence provided by the highly trained HOFD staff. Captain King is intimately involved in EMS for HOFD and the mountain as a whole, working to foster innovation and an expectation for a greater standard of care.

Captain Troy Bell

Captain Troy Bell has been in the fire service for nearly 20 years and works tirelessly to ensure the safety of the residents of the Heber-Overgaard and the surrounding area. He has a long history with various agencies on the mountain and brings the added benefit to the district of a lot of wildland firefighting experience.

Shelley Neely – Administrative Assistant

Shelley is currently the Administrative Assistant for the fire department and has been since 2016. She completed her Medical Coding and Billing program with Phoenix College in 2007 and, in 2010, started as the Ambulance Billing clerk for the fire department.

Eliz “Liz” Warren – Billing Specialist

Liz comes to the Fire District with an extensive background as a Medical Administrative and Revenue Cycle Manager and is known for her accuracy, attention to detail, and timeliness in the collection of claims reimbursement. Liz’s A/R career spans 20 plus years in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation field, including Chiropractic, DME, Orthotics, Prosthetics, Chiropractic, Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapies. Previously accountable for the submission and collections of over 100K claims ($10M) per month. She is backed by solid credentials (AA Degree in Medical Records and Billing) and proficiencies in the management of front office functions and providing administrative support. She is a servant leader who actively supports teamwork, community, and excellence in service.

Personal: As a 30-year flatlander to the area, she resides full-time in Overgaard with her new pup, Otis, and Dinky Joe the cat.

Quirky: Liz prefers clean claims and a dirty Jeep!