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SAN JUAN COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT #2 (ORCAS ISLAND) |
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Harris selected as Orcas Fire Chiefposted 08/20/04
The candidates were interviewed in June and met with community members at the fire hall. Harris said he became interested in firefighting while attending Evergreen State College. "They were looking for 10 student volunteers," he said. "I loved it more than going to school." After graduation, he joined the Lacey Fire Department as a paramedic. Ten years later, he became deputy chief. After holing the position for eight years, he became the first paid fire chief a district south of Tumwater. The department grew from 20 to 100 volunteers under his leadership. Harris' wife, Vicki Christiansen, works for the state Department of Natural Resources. Together they started cooperative fire prevention programs for Thurston and Lewiston Counties. "We brought Smokey and Sparky together," he said. "I'm big on fire prevention." He noted some of the challenges facing the Orcas Fire Department. "I was stunned when I saw some of your topography," he said. "You have ridge tops and valleys like eastern Washington." Harris has experience and training in wildland fires. He's been a strike team leader and has gone on many mobilizations. Three candidates for Orcas Fire Chief
posted 07/02/04
All three candidates have spent their careers in fire service and rose through the ranks of their respective departments to top leadership positions. Two, Harris and Tognoli, have worked with departments dependent on volunteers. O'Brien a captain and interim Battalion Chief with the Auburn Fire Department which has paid firefighters. Harris became interested in firefighting while attending Evergreen State College. "They were looking for 10 student volunteers," he said. "I loved it more than going to school." After graduation, he joined the Lacey Fire Department as a paramedic. Ten years later, he became deputy chief. After holing the position for eight years, he became the first paid fire chief a district south of Tumwater. The department grew from 20 to 100 volunteers under his leadership. Harris' wife works for the state Department of Natural Resources. Together they started cooperative fire prevention programs for Thurston and Lewiston Counties. "We brought Smokey and Sparky together," he said. "I'm big on fire prevention." He noted some of the challenges facing the Orcas Fire Department. "I was stunned when I saw some of your topography," he said. "You have ridge tops and valleys like eastern Washington." Harris has experience and training in wildland fires. He's been a strike team leader and has gone on many mobilizations. Tognoli started as a volunteer firefighter at age 14. He was the youngest person in Nevada to take EMS training, receiving his certification at age 18. After graduation he joined the Air Force as a firefighter. Upon finishing his military service, he became a police officer for a year and a half. He is currently the District Chief of the Yerington (Nevada) Fire Department. He rose through the ranks and was appointed fire chief six years ago. Tognoli said, "Our fire district mirrors Orcas Island fire district. Our island is surrounded by sand, this one by water." His department has 30 volunteers and five paid positions. Tognoli was appointed by the governor to Nevada's Board for Rural Healthcare. He played a key role in establishing the state EMS committee and is on the state emergency response committee. He is president of his county's Healthy Smiles dental program which provides dental care to underprivileged children. Tognoli said, "I bring several years of experience. My passion is firefighting and EMS. I have a desire to bring what I’ve learned to this community." O'Brien is very familiar with the Orcas Island Community. He is 1984 graduate of Orcas Island High School. "In 1979 my mother and father brought my sister and me up to Orcas Island. It was one of the greatest gifts. It gave us the chance to live in a community that looks out for their children." After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in political science, O'Brien joined the City of Auburn Fire Dept. "I loved the profession," he said. "I rose to captain in 1998. I have specialized in working with and building teams." He worked on revamping the department's policies and procedures to "make them legal and most importantly real and something that would be followed." "I love strategic planning," he said. "I led a team last winter in developing a strategic plan. I bring to the table, the ability to work with people. I look as job not as a chief, but as a community leader." Audience members asked questions about handling budgets. Tognoli and Harris both use a zero-based budget approach. Items don't automatically roll over from year to year, but are justified each year. O'Brien stressed the importance of establishing performance measures and creating a budget which reflected them. Former county Emergency Services Coordinator Carl Poschman asked about the candidates' experience with hazardous materials. All three are trained as hazardous materials incident commanders. The candidates were asked about the acceptance of women as firefighters. Tognoli said the last six firefighters in his district were women. O'Brien said people are needed, not a certain number of men and a certain number of women. Harris said he didn't believe in lowering standards but in making them attainable. His experience with women firefighters started at Evergreen College. After the first woman who tried to join the department failed to pass the physical test, Harris started a training program to help the recruits meet the requirements. The woman and several others completed the program, passed the test and became volunteer firefighters. The search committee which selected the three finalists from more than 60 applicants, will present a report to the fire commissioners on July 14. Commissioner Harvey Olsan said a decision may be made by the board at that meeting. |
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