Grant County Fire District 8 Chief Dave Patterson said he started his firefighting career as a volunteer, and it was as a volunteer that he joined Grant County Fire District 8.
After 12 years with the district, and about 40 years in firefighting, he will retire Friday.
“I started as a volunteer, and then I became a captain,” he said.
Then, commissioners created a paid position as assistant chief, for which he applied and was granted in 2013. He was named acting chief in October 2014, interim chief in January 2015 and sworn-in as chief in April 2015, said district business manager Barbara Davis.
Firefighting is just one of Patterson’s careers. Before moving to the Desert Aire-Mattawa area, he was an electrician who was a volunteer firefighter, he said.
Of course, that changed as Patterson’s responsibilities grew. For instance, the chief in a department the size of GCFD 8 is not just the chief.