BAINBRIDGE’S MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: BIFD holds promotion ceremony for newest officers, paramedic

Published 10:46 am Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Six officers — three battalion chiefs and three lieutenants — and one paramedic were presented with the badges of their new ranks at a Bainbridge Island Fire Department promotion ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Station 21 on Madison Avenue.

Department officials said it was an essential step in continuing to meet the ever-increasing needs of the community and improve the staffing of auxiliary stations around the island.

“This is a big step for the organization,” said BIFD Assistant Chief Luke Carpenter, recalling the often extremely minimal staffing in place during his early years with the department.

“Call volume has gone up,” he said. “The demands of the community have gone up. This is a dangerous job and you can’t do it the way you used to.”

The promotions, forthcoming new hires and the internal restructuring that those actions allow, Fire Chief Hank Teran explained in his opening remarks during Tuesday’s ceremony, are crucial to ensure the increased staffing that voters approved earlier this year.

“It’s kind of ironic that tonight is Election Night,” he said Tuesday. “Because, in February of this year, the voters approved the [improved] staffing of Fire Station 23 at the north end of the island. What that means is that, starting in 2016, we will have that station staffed 24-7.”

The three officers assuming the rank of battalion chief are Greg Borgen, Dave Dilley and Dave Hannon.

The rank comes with much greater managerial responsibility, Teran said, though, unlike in many other departments, Bainbridge’s newest battalion chiefs would all maintain their qualifications so as to be able to assist in the field when necessary.

“That is almost unheard of in fire service,” Teran said. “But it just shows what kind of heart these gentlemen have for service to the community.”

Additional responsibilities of the rank include assisting with career development for volunteer and career members of the department, assisting with budgeting and staffing and management decisions.

“It’s quite a shift, in many ways, from just going out on calls,” Teran said. “Unlike a lieutenant, who has a responsibility for a single station, they’ll be responsible for the entire island.”

Promoted to the rank of lieutenant were Darrick Baker, Zach Bussard and Chris Johnston.

A promotion to this rank, Teran said, also signified a great “change in responsibility” from regular firefighting.

“These individuals have the opportunity of having probably the most significant influence of almost any position in the fire service,” he explained. “It’s a position of great responsibility. They’re responsible for the emergency scene management. They’re responsible for the safety of the men and women, volunteers and careers, under their command. They’re responsible for training the members that are assigned to them.

“We’re looking for them to lead and motivate the people who work for them,” he added.

Carol Mezen, who began her career with the department in an administrative capacity before becoming first a volunteer and then full time firefighter, was recognized as BIFD’s newest paramedic.

Emergency Medical Service was one of the department’s main deliverables, Teran said, and constituted some 80 percent of all of the department’s calls.

It was a night of accomplishment for everyone involved, including the department as a whole, said Assistant Chief of Operations Jared Moravec.

“This evening marks not only a major step forward for the department in meeting some of the significant goals set forth in the 10-year strategic plan,” he explained. “But it’s also a major milestone and achievement for each of the individuals recognized tonight.”