For the first time in its 73-year history, Clallam County Fire District No. 2 has hired full-time career firefighters, Chief Sam Phillips said.
The three former volunteers — Neil Crumley, Zachary Gear and Tyler Reid — began their new positions as full-time career firefighters/emergency medical technicians for the fire district, which serves areas around Port Angeles from Deer Park to Dry Creek.
“For us, it’s a growth spurt that we are able to do within our budget without going back to taxpayers,” Phillips said.
The district reallocated funding from other areas such as capital purchasing, operations and supplies, and also used an unexpected increase in revenue — $28,000 — from ambulance transports, according to Phillips.
The medic tax in Port Angeles doesn’t help District 2 because it serves an area outside city limits.
The firefighters were selected through a competitive examination process held in June that was open to current volunteer firefighters.
“We wanted to have an incentive for our volunteers to show them there was opportunity within the district,” Phillips said.