Leaving a legacy of accomplishments behind
After 15 years with the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, Fire Chief Jim Schneider has retired.
Before being hired to lead Puget Sound Fire, Chief Schneider spent eight years as the Fire Chief for the Clovis Fire Department in Clovis, California. Prior to that, he served for 21 years with the fire department in Eugene, Oregon. He held the rank of Assistant Chief for Eugene, when he was hired by the City of Clovis.
During his tenure with Puget Sound Fire, Chief Schneider had a long list of accomplishments, including:
- International Accreditation
- Building of Fire Station 78 in Covington
- Becoming a Regional Fire Authority
- Contracting with the City of SeaTac for emergency services
- Developing the South King County Fire Training Consortium
- Creation of the FDCARES program
- Expansion of the Logistics Division
- Developing the Planning Section for data analytics
- Renaming to Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority
Two things that helped define Chief Schneider were the fact that he was very punctual and he loved to use stories to illustrate a point. If he said a meeting started and ended at certain times, then they would and almost every presentation that he made began with the phrase, “the other day I heard a story…”
Chief Schneider will be remembered for his lead-by-example attitude, his caring, and his professionalism. He always took time to communicate and would often stop people, shake their hand, and ask how they are doing. His quote, “none of us is as smart as all of us,” will continue to help us be successful in the future.
Matthew Morrison, who was the fire chief for the Henderson (Nevada) Fire Department, replaces Schneider.
[Source: Puget Sound Fire]
