New Fire Commissioner sworn in

Walla Walla—Columbia County Fire district #2 held a meeting of the commissioners on Wednesday, November 5th at the Fire Hall in Waitsburg. Commissioners in attendance were Deb Fulton, Jake Long, Bruce Abbey, Jim Hickman, and Randy Farley. Acting Fire Chief Colton Mohney, Clerk Anne Higgins, volunteer firefighter Matt Spring, Columbia County dispatcher Ashley Spring and incoming commissioner Randy Charles were also in attendance.

Amidst the regular business for the District, Waitsburg resident Randy Charles was sworn in as a commissioner to District #2, filling the vacancy left by Jim Leid in 2018. A native of Yakima, WA, Charles is a Washington State University graduate who is a trained paramedic and certified firefighter. A Navy veteran with 20 years’ experience, Charles is eager to begin service as a commissioner and lend his administrative and emergency services experience to the district.

“With a background in fire and EMS, I wanted to help however I could, I know that volunteer fire districts have challenges and I offered to help a couple of months ago,” Charles said. His persistence paid off and he is now set to serve as a commissioner until 2021.

Old business included the distribution of a job description for the Fire Chief position. Currently filled by Acting Chief Colter Mohney, the position description will be reviewed by the commissioners to create a listing that adequately reflects the skills and experience necessary. As this is currently a volunteer position, efforts are being made to tailor it to that expectation with the idea that current officers will fulfill aspects of the position. Ultimately, the hope is to fund the position at least on a part time basis.

New Business for the meeting included approving the 2020 budget, after a review of the levy commitments from Walla Walla and Columbia County. Other new business included reports on a pressure check of the hoses which was contracted out to a company from the Tri-Cities.

Acting Fire Chief Mohney reported on equipment needs for the District, with plans to purchase new gloves, boots, jackets, coats and helmets by mid-January.

A general discussion of the training schedule ensued with an agreement that an additional session on radio protocol be scheduled. The hope is that one can be scheduled in Waitsburg to make it easier for area volunteers to attend.

Ashley Spring, dispatcher from Columbia County, urged the district to take a close look at the sequencing of dispatching to make sure that the response ladder is clear. He offered to sit down with the department to help with that process, and to take a deeper look at the district maps to ensure that agreements with neighboring agencies are clear, or whether they need fine-tuning. Spring also inquired about the town’s sounding of the fire siren at noon on weekdays. Mohney’s response is that it is necessary for testing purposes, and that the “community wants it, old-timers wait for it, to know that it is lunchtime,” he said.