Submitted by San Juan Island Fire & Rescue
Noel Monin was raised in Sedro-Woolley and, after graduating high school, attempted a four-year university and spent several years in production and construction jobs in Skagit and King Counties.
In 1996, while working as a crew member for Washington Conservation Corps, Monin moved to Lime Kiln State Park. While living and working at the park, the ranger at the time, Chris Guidotti, suggested Monin volunteer for the local fire department.
Monin began his adventure with the fire district at Little Mountain Station (station 33) under the leadership of retired firefighter’s Capt. Don McClasky, Lt. Alan Smith.
After some five years of volunteering for the fire district and working in local manufacturing and as a U.S. Forest Service hotshot, Monin was hired as a career firefighter/maintenance worker for the district in the summer of 2001. He immediately settled into his newly found stability and married, assumed a mortgage, and by fall of 2002, he and his wife brought a baby girl into the world.
That same year Monin was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and by the end of the year, he was charged with supervising the department’s maintenance division. Since that time, Monin has worked through the ranks at the district to become assistant fire chief. He is nationally qualified as a task force leader, served five years as a San Juan Emergency Medical Services EMT and is currently serving his seventh year on the Friday Harbor Town Council.
Monin said he enjoys music, civics, cooking, his daughter’s sporting events, hunting and shooting, movies and games, watching Seahawk’s beat the Patriot’s, family and friends, working with volunteer firefighters and…sleeping on the ferry.
The San Juan Island Fire & Rescue is launching a winter firefighter recruit academy, beginning Jan. 18. Sign up and get a chance to meet and work with Monin, as he delivers this program and trains the next generation of firefighters. San Juan Island Fire & Rescue wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season!
