11/11/2016

By MIKE HUFFMAN
Managing Editor

The Washington State Fire Commissioners Association awarded Spokane County Fire District 8’s leadership and management team with first place in Washington state for the Management Excellence Award Program for category “A” class fire departments during their fall conference in Yakima on Oct. 28.

Spokane County Fire District 8 participated against fire departments with budgets greater than $4 million and received first place in the state of Washington.

The Management Excellence Award is based on multiple criteria including:

• Governance
• Administrative and operational management
• Public services
• Public education
• Financial management
• Leadership

An independent selection committee reviews and compares the criteria to other similarly sized organizations in Washington state and selects the winner.
The purpose of the Management Excellence Award Program is the following:

• To provide a means of sharing information, innovative ideas and the variety of activities taking place throughout the state of Washington
• To give recognition to those in the fire service that have demonstrated progressive achievement
• To benefit all fire districts and regional fire authorities, regardless of size, location, budget, or number of personnel.

“We are very humbled and honored to have been chosen for this award.  It just reinforces my belief that we have a great organization providing exceptional emergency services and value to the public,” said Fire Chief Tony Nielsen. 

SCFD8 provides a full range of services that include fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, education and investigation, and associated support and maintenance services to 20,694 citizens in a 110-square-mile area in south Spokane County. SCFD8 members responded to 2,776 incidents in 2015 from the district's four fire stations located in the Moran Prairie, Valleyford, Ponderosa and Saltese areas. Each station is staffed 24 hours a day with a combination of career, part-time and volunteer and resident volunteer personnel.