Steve Heitman will be the new chief of the Renton Regional Fire Authority after two decades as a member of the Mercer Island Fire Department.<\/p>\n
Heitman — who has been the Mercer Island fire chief since 2014 after serving as deputy fire chief and a firefighter — will join the Renton organization on Jan. 31. Heitman was one of three finalists in 2017 to be chief for the Kent-based Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority. Puget Sound Fire hired Matthew Morris, who was fire chief of the Henderson Fire Department in Nevada.<\/p>\n
Heitman said he’s leaving Mercer Island to take on a new challenge that will continue to drive him to improve and grow in his career.<\/p>\n
He’s excited to step onto new terrain and experience “working under a different style of governance and a different financial model,” said Heitman, who will oversee all Renton fire operations and services delivered by 180 personnel from seven fire stations.<\/p>\n
Once Heitman starts in Renton, he will begin work on three of the organization’s goals: “This year, a new contract for service needs to be negotiated with Fire District No. 40, a planning committee needs to be established and work on putting a renewal of the Fire Benefits Charge on the ballot for April of 2022, and we will also be starting the accreditation process,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mercer Island city manager Jessi Bon has begun working on the Mercer Island Fire Department leadership transition plan, according to a press release.<\/p>\n
“I have no doubt that Chief Heitman will excel with this career advancement and am not surprised that he was selected as the most highly-qualified candidate; we’re sorry to see him go and wish him all the best,” said Bon.<\/p>\n
Heitman said that his top accomplishments on Mercer Island have been a residential fire sprinkler ordinance, the establishment of a multi-department training consortium, and the recent successful completion of a fire service analysis showing the high-level effectiveness and efficiency of the department.<\/p>\n
He reflected on his time in the fire service: “What has kept me going is that I still come to work and feel that I make a difference, and that my work is very rewarding.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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