Every year since 2015, East County Fire & Rescue (ECFR)’s board chair has submitted this column as a special outreach to our citizens, as well as those in the areas we provide mutual aid (Camas, Washougal, Skamania County, Vancouver, etc.) This year is one to start out with the following warning: “Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”
ECFR’s Fire Chief Mike Carnes announced he would retire at the end of 2022, giving us a year to find a new chief. Chief Carnes served the District in many capacities for 25 years, and we wish him a very happy retirement. We went through the recruitment process early on, with our initial response being one applicant. The applicant was well qualified — so much so that, after we offered the position to him, he accepted another position at an agency in Oregon.