Public invited to meet Fire Chief candidates | East Pierce Fire and Rescue
Published 2:15 pm Monday, May 4, 2015
The East Pierce Fire and Rescue Board of Fire Commissioners have narrowed the number of applicants for fire chief to five. Now, they are inviting the citizens who live within the district to provide their input during a candidate reception from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, May 11 at the fire station in Edgewood.
“The reception will be the public’s opportunity to meet the candidates and get to know a little about them before the formal interview part of the selection process,” said Commissioner Chair Dale Mitchell. “The citizens who attend will have the option to fill out comment cards with their thoughts which will be provided to the board for consideration.”
The five finalists are part of a national search to replace East Pierce Fire Chief Jerry E. Thorson, who plans to retire in June after more than 40 years in the fire service. Mitchell said that the inclusive process of selecting a new chief provides an opportunity for input from both the community and fire district personnel. “It’s important that the community and department members support the process and are comfortable that the district hires the best candidate,” he said.
The following day, the applicants will undergo a rigorous interview process that includes city elected and appointed officials from each of the cities within the East Pierce jurisdiction, including Bonney Lake, Sumner, Lake Tapps, Edgewood and Milton. Once the interviews are completed, the board will extend a job offer to the best candidate for the position.
A public announcement could come as early as May 12.
