West Valley fire chief tops in the state

by Mark Morey
Yakima Herald-Republic
West Valley fire chief tops in the state
West Valley Fire Department Chief Dave Leitch
Links
Email_black_18  E-mail           Print_black_18  Print            Talk_black_18  Comments
Advertisement

More 'Local'

  1. CWU teacher education programs in good standing
  2. Third suspect arrested in fatal shooting of Las Vegas officer
  3. Red Cross urges sending holiday cards to service members
  4. Selah schools superintendent gets state honor
  5. Mexican growers' coalition donates apples to food bank
  6. Two pedestrians hit by vehicles in separate incidents
  7. Struggle in pickup with officer may draw assault charge
More Stories:   Today's News | This Week

Chief Dave Leitch of the West Valley Fire Department was recognized this month as the year's top fire chief in the state by a leading professional organization.

Leitch received the award July 8 at the annual conference of the Washington State Fire Chiefs Association in Wenatchee, according to a news release from the fire department.

Leitch, 50, started as a volunteer firefighter in 1977. His father was a West Valley captain, so Leitch had been hanging around the station since he was a kid.

He took his first full-time job with the department in 1990 as a battalion chief in charge of training. He became deputy chief in 1995 and was acting chief in July 2001, when West Valley volunteer Jessica Johnson and three other Central Washington firefighters were killed in the Thirtymile forest fire.

He was fully appointed as chief in 2002.

Nathan Craig, a career officer for several years who was recently appointed as deputy chief by Leitch, nominated his boss for the award.

Craig wrote that Leitch applies his courteous, professional attitude both locally and while representing Yakima County and the state on several boards and councils.

Leitch said he didn't start out wanting to be an administrator.

"I just wanted to be a good firefighter," he said.

During his tenure, the department has added a training center and a station, for a total of four. West Valley and Yakima run a joint station, part of their increasing partnership due to annexation by the city.

Leitch said he enjoys running the department, which has almost 100 volunteers, and has no plans to find work outside the area. He still tries to remain connected with his crews, sometimes helping on the fireline or washing a truck.

"Like my mother always told me, 'Do what's right,'" Leitch said.

 

* Mark Morey can be reached at 577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.

 



Commentsicon2
Log in or Register to leave a comment.

Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g., you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason. Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the "report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.

Registered User?