Meet Your Volunteer Firefighter’s Training Officer

Brad Creesy, Assistant Chief/Training Officer – Sheila Harley photo

Sheila Harley checks in again with this month’s firefighter column…

After watching his next door neighbor’s house burn to the ground just days before their wedding, now Assistant Chief Brad Creesy wished that he had been able to help them. So along with the groom and several other neighbors, he joined Station 5 the Roche Harbor/ Yacht Haven fire station in the spring of 1983. “Our 1955 Mack Truck engine was the best, most reliable engine on the island at that time”, he recalled.

“Back then you only needed to show up at the station with a sincere desire to help the community. You were issued bunker gear and started training with the crew twice a month. Individual firefighters didn’t have pagers or radios; you listened for the siren on top of the station to alert you to a call. Although the training was informal, the firefighters were committed to doing what they could for a neighbor in their time of need.”

It was shortly after joining the department that he began to see substantial changes in the organization: the first full time Chief was hired in 1985; the District purchased five new engines; and the first structured, two-weekend long recruit class took place. While working at Roche Harbor, Brad continued to volunteer as a firefighter with long serving members Howie Rosenfeld, Rick Prescott, and Tad Lean.

Change has continued over the years for both Brad and the Department. The engines that were new shortly after he joined have since been retired as obsolete and new engines are now in service. After 17 years as a volunteer, Brad joined the career staff as a Lieutenant and the department’s training officer, a position in which he has served since 2000.

When asked about the most significant changes he has seen over the years he said, “When you join the department today you are making the same personal commitment to the community, but you are also making the commitment to serve the community as a professional. A fire or a person in distress doesn’t know the difference between a volunteer or a professional firefighter. By training to a professional level you are providing the best possible service to the community and you are also making the highest commitment to your family, understanding the risk involved and working as safely as possible.”

“Our department members complete the same training, testing, and nationally recognized certification as a career firefighter in an urban department.” As he will admit, “Joining the department is not a casual commitment. The Firefighter 1 or recruit training is significant. But the rewards are just as important. Being part of the team that the community turns to in an emergency is both exhilarating and rewarding.”

If you are ready to be a part of the team, go to www.sjifire.org and click on “Joining the Department” or contact Brad at training [@] sjifire [.] org or at 378-5334. A new recruit class starts on September 9th.

Sheila Harley
Public Information Officer
San Juan Island Fire & Rescue

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