From left, Chelan Fire and Rescue Chief Brandon Asher, Assistant Chief Shawn Sherman and Incident Commander Sam Belsky, at the site of the Apple Cup Cafe learn-to-burn fire training exercise, Nov. 9, 2024.
9-1-1 calls for service to Chelan Fire and Rescue firefighters has sparked an interest from the fire agency to look at the possibility of hiring while putting out a call for volunteers.
"We are looking at potentially putting an eligibility list together for hiring some new firefighters," said Chelan Fire Chief Brandon Asher on KOZI Community Connection. "We are moving forward with the whole testing process, so people need to come in, apply, and then they'll do a written test, oral boards, and that gives us a list we can hire from."
"We need to get better staffing, year-round," Chief Asher added. "It's an issue I'd like to address as soon as we can. This could happen early in 2025. The Washington State Fire Academy class starts January 23rd. If we can get this (hiring or volunteer recruitment) in place by then, that way we have those people done with the fire academy by April."
The timing is ripe as Chelan Fire and Rescue continues to see an increase in 9-1-1 calls for service.
"We had a record month in October and that was our fifth or sixth record month this year," the chief exclaimed.
Chelan fire commissioner Mark Donnell says with an increase in calls for service comes an ever increasing need for more manpower to respond to 9-1-1 calls.
"One of the biggest issues we have as a fire district is retaining that one resource we need, which is personnel," Donnell said. "Apparatus, stations and all that doesn't make any difference if you have those unless you have people that actually staff those stations."
To assist with manpower both Chelan and Manson fire agencies are looking into the possibility of bringing on a volunteer firefighter coordinator.
"Having one person who can really focus on those people that we integrate into our system and keeping them motivated can really help with the retention is a need both agencies have," Chief Asher mentioned.
"I feel really strongly that going into 2025, that this is a definite need for our community," added Commissioner Donnell.
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