Five new firefighters and one promoted at the Chelan Fire and Rescue meeting

CHELAN – The staffing plan for the remainder of the year and the 2019 staffing plan were addressed at the Chelan Fire and Rescue Commissioner meeting on Wednesday, September 12.

Deputy Fire Chief Mark Donnell introduced the new firefighters that will be joining Chelan Fire and Rescue for the rest of 2018.
The following individuals were pinned as new temporary firefighters at the meeting;
Jonathan Mendoza, Hunter Newmiller, Sam Belsky, Samantha Rains and Austin Yancey.

The five will fulfill the temporary position of the SAFER Grant until the end of the year. Donnell announced that all five will be working through a program to get them ready for the Firefighter 1 position.

“We are glad to have them on board,” said Donnell.

Chief Tim Lemon explained that some articles were waived for the duration of the SAFER Grant and that’s how they were able to hire the new employees, “this covers 2018 staff moving forward,” he said.

Tyee Zacher was promoted to Lieutenant, and his daughters were in charge of pinning him. “Congratulations,” said Chief Lemon.

Lemon presented the Commissioners another option covering 2019 staffing. This option will keep the current six career firefighters, maintains all staff and adds one floating shift.
 

Chief explained to the Commissioners that all he wants from them is some direction and that they shouldn’t drop below having two career staff at all times.

The Commissioners thanked Lemon for the elaborated work he has done and they also think that they should have a long range planning for the future in order to have all fine details addressed.

In other business:
• Lisa Garvich and a group of volunteers have helped out with Chelan Fire and Rescue’s website to keep it updated and also have taken their time to help out during the busy fire season to answer phone calls from those calling the station asking for information.
• Chief Lemon informed the Commissioners that $12,000 out of the estimated $65,400 for the nearby wildland fires has been received by  CFR, $23,000 is on wages and $41,000 in apparatus. The rest of the money should be received in the next six to 12 weeks.
• For the month of August 118 emergency responses were received, that’s 12 percent above last year during the same time of year. This anticipates that CFR will close out the year eight percent above 2017. Some of those responses involved the Cougar Creek Fire in Entiat, brush fires, a residential house fire in Manson, McNeil semitruck accident and one boat accident.
• Chief Lemon also informed the Commissioners he met with Senator Brad Hawkins during his listening tour in Chelan and exchanged some words regarding legislature concerns.
• Deputy Fire Chief Donnell reported that four staff firefighters were lost and they that they landed new jobs.
• Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Asher mentioned that volunteers have not been lost, however most of them have night jobs which makes it difficult for them to come out. Asher is still having trouble with volunteers covering stipend shifts especially during the weekends. So far, he has nine recruits for the next academy, four from Chelan, four from Orondo and one from Entiat.
• Asher is also working on a Cadet Program, he will visiting and giving a presentation  for Chelan High School in the next upcoming weeks.
• Firefighter Association Report:
The association ended the month of August with a total of $27,822, during that month there was six withdraws from the funds. One of those was to purchase a banner for the parade truck.
The association also contributed with two donations to fire victims, six additional Walmart gift cards were purchased for the future. They also acquired gifts, cake and donuts to say farewell to the career firefighters who left and as a thank you towards their work for the community.
The association will be volunteering at future events and will also be looking at purchasing another tree for the December auction.
• Commissioner Russ Jones informed the rest of the board that along with Chief Lemon they met with Lake Chelan Community Hospital and Clinics Hospital CEO to talk about CFR responding to emergency calls. At the end it was agreed that CFR will keep responding to those calls and things will remain as they are now.