Meet your local firefighter: Harry See | Guest column

Published 7:30 pm Sunday, May 31, 2015

By Sheila Harley, SJI Fire & Rescue public information officer

Harry See is one of the oldest fire fighters in the San Juan Island Fire Rescue organization.

He joined the District about 20 years ago and at age 65, he is still going strong.

He earned a master’s degree from Antioch West University at San Francisco in clinical psychology and has a Bachelor of Arts in Viticulture (the art of wine making). The family business was the Silverado Winery in the Napa Valley of California, where he worked for 20 years before he and his wife, Maureen, came to San Juan Island to get a change of venue, slow down and spend more time together.

Harry is still waiting for that to happen.

Between owning and running his full service property management company, Cedar Rock Properties, and the fire department, boating, and his own gardening, See is far to busy for retirement.

Twenty years ago, when Capt. Diane Timm asked See if he would like to join the fire department. He asked: “Do I get to drive the fire truck with sirens? Do I get a hat and T-shirt?” (every little boys dream).

When she promised all those things, he was hooked.

In a year he was made lieutenant and later made captain at Station 34. He also ran the fire boat for the town of Friday Harbor, while helping to upgrade that system.

When he was thinking it was time to leave San Juan Island Fire Rescue because he was getting older, he really wasn’t ready for retirement. So, he and others formed the tender program and are developing an engineer program so that older, still very useful, firefighters can stay with the department and provide the much needed service of getting water to the fire by running the engine pumps that deliver the water from the hoses to the fire.

Along the way, See was on the safety committee for 15 years, has been squad boss for wildland fires, has done rope and vehicle rescues, and has helped developed the “Evap Program” course for driver training evaluation for the fire department and emergency medical services as well.

It is a “very good feeling being part of this group,” See says. “There’s nothing like going into a burning building and putting that fire out. You just feel so good about that.”

“It is a dedicated group of different personalities who are all giving their time to give their services,” See adds. “There is excitement, fun, and interesting things to learn that apply to one’s personal life. Most of all, there is such satisfaction from a “save”.”

San Juan Fire Rescue welcomes all interested men and women, ages 16 years and above to drop by the Mullis Street Station and make and appointment to see what we are all about.

Or, look online at www.sjifire.org for information. You could view our FaceBook page: San Juan Island Fire & Rescue. Our phone number is 360-378-5334.

We would be be pleased to talk with you.