Search narrows to six finalists
About 50 officials and residents gathered at Bothell’s Downtown Firehouse Aug. 16, taking advantage of an opportunity to meet and greet the six finalists in the running to be the city’s next fire chief.
Regarding the finalists, City Manager Robert Stowe said any of the remaining candidates could fill the position well.
“Our challenge is find a good fit,” he said.
Consultant Greg Prothman of Bellevue search firm the Prothman Company said the city put the word out on the chief’s position to 11 western states. His firm sent out some 600 letters detailing the open spot and it was further advertised via 15 spots in various professional journals. In total, the effort garnered 37 responses, 18 of which were forwarded to the city.
According to Prothman, interviews and meetings run by his staff and city officials cut the number of candidates first to 15, then to the final six.
Those candidates are: Bob Van Horne of the Renton Fire Department; Paul Hewitt, who described himself as a 23-year fire veteran; Tod Gales of the Lynnwood department; Rick Gracia of the Las Vegas department; Lawrence Rooney of Peoria, Ariz.; and, David Berousek Northshore, Wis.
At the public event Aug. 16, Prothman not only had each candidate briefly describe his experience, but put them on the spot, asking for their most embarrassing moment as a firefighter.
Hewitt probably had one of the better stories.
As a new paramedic, he said he responded along with others to reports of a victim who had fallen on his front porch. The man turned out to be drunk, according to Hewitt, who said medics checked him out then apparently were waiting for transport for the victim. In the meantime, it had begun to snow and Hewitt began tossing snowballs at his fellow firefighters. Naturally, one hit the victim right in the face.
Van Horne is currently a deputy chief with the Renton department. He noted that department has grown considerably in the past few years, with some 60 percent of the force being promoted in the last 18 months.
Working in Lynnwood since 2004, Gale said he spent most of his career in Corpus Christi, Texas. He said he likes the Lynnwood department, but is up for a new challenge.
“I’m ready for my own ship,” he said.
Gracia said budgeting is one of his main duties in the large Las Vegas department. He readily admitted he didn’t make the cut to become chief in Vegas, but still has the drive to be in charge. Gracia added he would enjoy the move to Washington to escape the Vegas heat.
For his most embarrassing moment, Gracia talked about stabbing himself with the dopamine meant for a heart-attack victim. He added he quickly started to lose consciousness, but finished the call on his knees and claimed his partner never knew what had happened.
Rooney said he comes from a family of firefighters, including his father and a brother. His son may become the third generation of firefighters in the Rooney clan. A deputy chief, Rooney said he has helped grow his department from one station to seven.
Finally, Berousek is already the chief of what he called a consolidated department, but seemingly is looking for a change and a new challenge.
The next step for all six candidates was a series of individual and panel interviews conducted by Stowe, other city administrators and fire and EMS personnel. The city did not release a timetable for naming a new chief. Whoever wins the position will earn $111,192 to $141,048 annually for overseeing a department of 54 uniformed and nine civilian employees.
The department currently is under the command of Interim Fire Chief Rudy Alvarado, who decided not to be a candidate for the permanent position. Alvarado took over for former Chief Warren Burns who resigned for unspecified reasons March 31.
At the time, city Public Information Officer Joyce Goedeke released a one-paragraph statement, giving no reason for Burns’ departure and mostly spelling out the size of the department.
The release did state that Burns “separated from the city as an employee in good standing.”
Neither Goedeke nor a spokesperson for the fire department would confirm or deny reports that the city was investigating Burns at the time of his resignation for reasons not made public.
Burns reportedly was on administrative leave — again, for reasons not made public — since Feb. 20.
