Tom Eades, shown right, is a lieutenant, fire officer, incident safety officer and wildland firefighter. He has attended the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland several times. Only one out of every one hundred firefighters in the United States attend that prodigious academy. He has taken Fire Command Operations, Leadership and Administration, Advanced Safety Operations and Management, and Command and Control of Target Hazards. He was the first person in the State of Washington to receive IFSAC certification as an Airport Fire Fighter.

He was born in Oak Harbor but grew up in Renton, Wash. where he attended school, going on to Washington State University School of Communications (which is now the Edward R. Murrow School of Communications) earning a bachelor of arts in communications. While there, he played the clarinet in the WSU Cougar marching band. It was Tom’s goal from mid-way through elementary school and up through college to pursue a career in broadcasting. From 1984 to 1988, he did just that for KONP out of Port Angeles. That did not work out too well, and eventually Tom moved to Friday Harbor to become a dispatcher for the sheriff’s office. That was 27 years ago. Tom joined, what was then, the District Fire Department for Station 35, then the Town Fire Department, and after the combination of the two, became a full time volunteer for San Juan Island Fire & Rescue. In 1990 he became an EMT and later a Flight EMT. So now you have a man who is a full time dispatcher, a lieutenant in the fire department and an Emergency Medical Technician as well.

In his spare time, Tom plays the piano, is a supporter of the Edward Murrow School of Education, and pilots his own shared plane. He is an instrument rated pilot and is working towards a commercial rating.

Tom says that people who think they couldn’t do what a firefighter or an EMT does would be surprised at what they can actually accomplish with the desire and the proper training. Knowledge imparts power. He also says that firefighting is a needed position. It’s an opportunity to help our community but it also gives you skills that ordinary people don’t get. You get to hang out with some really cool people and it is very gratifying to help those in crisis. It feels good!

San Juan Fire and Rescue welcomes all interested men and women ages 16 years and above to volunteer.

For info, visit www.sjifire.org, view our Facebook page: San Juan Island Fire & Rescue or call 378-5334.