Meet San Juan Island Fire chief candidates on Sept. 16

Submitted by San Juan Fire and Rescue

After over 35 years with the department, San Juan Island Fire Chief Brad Creesy will retire at the end of October. The community is invited to an evening reception to meet the five finalists being considered for the position. This informal meet and greet opportunity will be from 5-7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Friday Harbor Suites, 680 Spring St.

The five candidates are:

Norvin Collins has been fire chief for the Sauvie Island Fire District, Portland, Oregon, since 2010. He served Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Tigard, Oregon, from 1994-2013. His last position there was division chief and paramedic. Earlier in his career, he was also a volunteer firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician for Lane Rural Fire District 1 in Oregon. Collins has a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Eastern Oregon University; a master’s degree in Psychology from Capella University; and he is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program.

Timothy Lemon has 38 years of fire service experience from three different fire departments in Washington. He has served as fire chief for Chelan County Fire Protection District 7 since 2009. Prior to that, he was fire chief for King County Fire Protection District 43 from 1995-2009, and he was the assistant fire chief of operations and training for Pierce County Fire Protection District 16. Lemon has also been a fire service instructor for the Washington State Fire Academy. He has done coursework in fire administration at Tacoma Community College, Pierce College and Bellevue Community College.

Noel Monin has served the San Juan Island Fire Department for over 21 years, beginning as a volunteer firefighter, and progressing through the ranks from career firefighter, through lieutenant and captain, to his current position as assistant fire chief. Earlier in his career, he was a forestry technician and seasonal wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service. Monin has been a member of the Friday Harbor Town Council since 2009. He has an associate degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix.

Terrence “Terry” Ney has been the fire chief for Lane Fire Authority in Oregon since 2010. His fire service experience began in 1979 as a volunteer for the Glendale Rural Fire District in Oregon. Since then, he has served a number of Oregon fire districts, including Sheridan Fire District, where he was fire chief, and Hoodland Fire District, where he was a senior firefighter and a paramedic and field supervisor from 1990-2000. He was also a volunteer lieutenant for the Colton Fire District. Ney has an associate degree in EMT from Umpqua Community College.

Curtis Wallace has served Savannah Fire and Emergency Services in Georgia since 1997, where he started as a firefighter and progressed through the ranks of Captain and Battalion Chief to his current position of assistant fire chief. Earlier in his career, he was an EMT for an ambulance service. Wallace has an associate degree in Fire Science and a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health, both from Columbia Southern University.

The Board of Commissioners for San Juan County Fire District No. 3 is holding a special meeting and executive session on Monday, Sept 17 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Friday Harbor Suites to evaluate the qualifications of the fire chief’s candidates. This meeting may be extended as necessary.

Meet San Juan Island Fire chief candidates on Sept. 16
Meet San Juan Island Fire chief candidates on Sept. 16
Meet San Juan Island Fire chief candidates on Sept. 16
Meet San Juan Island Fire chief candidates on Sept. 16
Meet San Juan Island Fire chief candidates on Sept. 16