PORT TOWNSEND — A wooden sign that hangs on the wall over East Jefferson Fire-Rescue’s new chief’s desk bluntly reads: “Make a decision.”
“It is what we teach to paramedics who face life and death decisions each day,” said Gordon Pomeroy, who was appointed permanent chief earlier this month.
“That is now the mantra of this fire district.”
The 60-year-old Pomeroy is a career emergency medical technician who retired in 2007 after 31 years from the Shoreline Fire Department.
Pomeroy, who receives a pension, will be paid about half of the $90,000 annual salary Tandy was making.
Pomeroy joined East Jefferson Fire-Rescue in May 2008 to head the Emergency Medical Service Critical Care Transport division.
After the September resignation of former Chief Chuck Tandy, who cited family reasons for leaving after eight months in the job, fire chief responsibilities were split between Pomeroy and Ted Krysinski, both assistant chiefs.
Rich Stapf Jr., chairman of East Jefferson Fire-Rescue’s board, and fellow board members Jess Bondurant Jr. and Zane Wyll named Pomeroy permanent chief on Dec. 22.
“Going into 2010, we needed to stabilize the administration and take the interim title out of the chief’s role,” Stapf said. “Going into 2010, the board and [Port Townsend] City Council felt it was important to have a full-time chief.”
Stapf, who has known Pomeroy since 1991, said he believes the new chief has done a good job in the interim.
“He’s really settled in to the community and is dedicated to help us move forward.”
Krysinski was appointed deputy chief, and Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician Steve Grimm was appointed probationary lieutenant, effective Friday.
Levy proposal
With emergency response demand growing at a rate of between 4.5 and 5 percent annually and aging firefighting equipment, Pomeroy said he will recommend that the fire district board consider taking a levy increase proposal to the voters.
“I think we’ve got to forge ahead with the growing department,” he said. “We have some issues with capital improvements.”
An additional firehouse is needed in Chimacum to serve that area, and aging equipment for firefighters and emergency medical technicians — or EMTs — needs to be replaced, he said.
Pomeroy cites “historically low” firefighting levies of 56 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation for fire and 31 cents per $1,000 for EMS/Medic 1 services.
The fire district’s 2010 budget is $1.92 million for firefighting and $2.28 million for emergency medical services. He said 60 percent of the budgets go to salaries.
“I hope the public understands that we have in fact squeezed blood out of a turnip,” he said.
More stability
Pomeroy said he hopes to see more stability in the department.
“I did spend the last 19 months retooling and reworking and just getting things going,” Pomeroy said.
“One thing I am going to try and achieve is consistency. It’s been kind of a revolving door here.”
Port Townsend City Councilwoman Laurie Medlicott, a longtime member of the city’s Public Safety Committee, said she found Pomeroy to be “extremely competent. He has my full confidence.”
Pomeroy was trained at Harborview Medical Center of Seattle in conjunction with the University of Washington Medical Center. He led several private companies to develop an faster DNA-identification process and has worked extensively with the motion picture industry as an EMS staff coordinator.
Krysinski has been the department’s training and operations chief. He started in emergency services in 1986 as a public safety diver with the Drowning Accident Rescue team, joining the Port Townsend Fire Department as a volunteer in 1992.
In 1999, he was hired a professional firefighter/paramedic in Clallam County, and in 2005 became division chief in Jefferson County.
He is also a theater professional, specializing in stage design and lighting, and puts on an annual haunted house experience in Port Townsend called “Hauntownsend.”
Krysinski is steward of the Port Townsend Fire Department’s historical antiquities, with items as old as 135 years. His brother is an officer with the Port Townsend Police Department.
Pomeroy, who describes his management style as “fair and open door,” said his goal is to “strive for being the best you can be.”
“You can’t make a mistake if you don’t make a decision,” Pomeroy said, adding he will himself keep a hand in responding as an EMT when necessary.
Increase paramedics
He said the department’s main weakness when he came to Port Townsend was the meager number of paramedics.
He has set a goal of increasing that number from the existing 11 paramedics to 16 in five years.
Pomeroy oversees 22 career firefighters and emergency medical technicians — or EMTs — nine resident volunteers in training to become firefighters and two in firefighting school, along with about 30 volunteer firefighters and EMTs.
East Jefferson Fire-Rescue is Jefferson County’s largest fire district, serving Port Townsend, Cape George, Chimacum and Center valleys and Marrowstone Island, and also providing service to Naval Magazine Indian Island. The department responded to 3,314 calls in 2008.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.