By JAMES EIK
Staff Reporter
The search for Airway Heights fire department's deputy chief of training is winding down, with a decision from Fire Chief Mitch Metzger coming soon.
The new position, which would focus heavily on training and include some office managerial work, is meant to take some pressure off assistant fire chief Doug Bonstrom. Once a final selection is made, the position will officially begin Tuesday, May 8, at a swearing-in ceremony. An analysis performed by Metzger when he started last July, showed areas of improvement for the department.
“It revealed that one of our members was really swamped with a lot of work,” he said.
Bonstrom's work has grown to encompass training, record keeping, human resources, equipment servicing and public education. Out of those different plates Bonstrom currently handles, training was the one Metzger believed could turn into a full-time position.
“Airway Heights is growing, and this is just one of the steps to show that we're trying to keep up,” Metzger said.
The city's annexation to the east also spurred the need to address service opportunities.
“With the annex, we knew we would have increased service; more calls that we have to go on a regular basis,” Metzger said. “So we thought about how we could best serve those folks.”
In July of last year, the City Council approved Metzger's pursuit of the position, and added it to this year's budget toward the end of last year. The salary range for the position is from $45,000 to $53,000.
When the application process closed, 26 had submitted their paperwork. Applicants ranged from Western and Eastern Washington to Idaho, Alaska, Oregon and California. Last week, eight applicants were asked to interview for the position and present a lesson plan based on a topic chosen by Metzger in order to show their ability to instruct.
“I picked a lesson that was outside of the fire service,” he said. “I wanted something that was outside of the box, that would make them do some research, but also be kind of fun.”
The topic on which the candidates were asked to provide a lesson plan: fingernail painting.
In addition to the lesson plan, the candidates met with a panel in a traditional interview setting.
Metzger said training is the most important element for safety with firefighters and the general public.
“Training is the key to firefighter safety. It keeps them safe, and it keeps our people safe as well,” he said. “This is a person who is going to be able to focus on all the new hazards that are coming up in the industry. Every time someone develops a new plastic, it makes it dangerous for firefighters.”
The person will also work on a regional level as well. Metzger said the city will now be able to take part with a regional training facility.
“It keeps those skills for all of those people up. It creates those relationships so that when we get on a scene, we know who all of the people are and we all know how each other operates,” he said.
Bonstrom will also be able to dedicate more time to public education.
“We're going to take that to the next level,” Metzger said.
In addition to visits to Sunset Elementary throughout the year, he will also be able to spend more time with senior residents, at high schools and other programs in the region. Bonstrom also runs the city's CPR training course, which also extends to businesses in the community, should they request a training session.
“Our goal is to reduce fires and injuries within our community,” he said. “The safest fire for us to fight is one that never starts.”
Last year, the department saw a decrease in fire calls within the city, falling from 158 in 2010 to 106 in 2011.
While the current volunteer recruit training class will be taking their final tests as the new position begins, the deputy chief of training will serve as the main representative from Airway Heights for future groups.
Applications for the next round of recruit training will be accepted through the beginning of July.
James Eik can be reached at [email protected].
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