South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue News

» Home  »  SPOFR News: July - September 2010

SOUTH PEND OREILLE FIRE AND RESCUE

Job offer takes chief from South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue

NEWPORT - The fire chief over two fire districts turned in his resignation June 23, calling his last day July 12. South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue chief Mark Havener will start a new job in the Portland area July 19--a surprising move for the fire commissioners at South Pend Oreille. "There was a number of people whose jaws hit the table when I made the announcement." Havener said. Havener anticipates the commissioners of South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue will officially accept his resignation at their regular meeting Tuesday, July 8. Havener proposed a transition plan for the district that will spread the fire chief's duties over other duty officers.

The move is the next step for his career, Havener said. Tualatin operates on a $98 million budget, and the new position, "assistant chief of operations" oversees the 23 fire stations around the west Portland area. Havener said he wasn't looking to leave. Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, southwest of Portland, is a department Havener has admired for 10-12 years, he said. When he saw a posting for "assistant chief of operations" at Tualatin, "I wasn't looking, but I thought I'll apply and see what happens", Havener said. The nationwide search came down to two candidates. "The interviewers asked me 'What's the most difficult decision you made in the last six months?' I said 'I haven't made it yet.'" Havener said, reflecting a reluctance to leave the fire district he's served since 2004, "This community is hard to let go." The position would be mostly administrative, a significant jump from the smaller district of South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue, where "I can do anything every day." Instead, as assistant chief of operations, Havener would oversee how the fire service runs in Tualatin---second largest fire district in the state. One definite change, "I will not be out on the line or stretching hose." Havener said.

Since 2004, when Havener started at Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3, the fire chief has overseen quite a few equipment upgrades as well as the two-year long merger of the fire district Nos. 1, 3, and 7. (Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue completed its most recent merger in 2004.) Havener has also served as the fire chief for Pend Oreille Fire District No. 4, the district just north of South Pend Oreille. For the last three years, Havener has served an administrative contract between the two districts. South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue will put a levy lid lift before voters Aug. 17 during the primaries. The lid lift would allow the fire district to approximately double its operations and maintenance budget.

Before working in Pend Oreille County, Havener was a deputy chief of training and safety in Snohomish County and a firefighter/paramedic in Independence, Ohio. The Pend Oreille County commissioners are planning to attend a reception Friday afternoon, July 9, for Havener.

» JULY NEWS

» Chief Resigns

»  Directory  «»  Home  «»  Feedback  «