Humboldt Bay Fire District recently announced its Firefighter of the Year: Fire Captain Chris Mitchell, a 17-year veteran with the department and a man who wears more than one fire hat. “He’s been with Humboldt Bay since 2002. He’s just an incredibly solid person,” Humboldt Bay Fire Chief Sean Robertson said Friday. “He’s a very, very competent firefighter and he has earned massive respect in the department and in the community. He’s very dependable and someone people look up to. He’s such a solid role model for how he carries himself and he takes on a lot of responsibilities.”
Robertson pointed out that Mitchell heads up the department’s HAZMAT team and also coordinates HAZMAT response with regional agencies, he handles the department’s breathing apparatus and is active in union leadership.