City Manager Jessi Bon announced that beginning on Jan. 29, Mercer Island will contract with Eastside Fire & Rescue (EF&R) to provide interim fire chief services to the city. Her plan for the temporary administration of the Mercer Island Fire Department (MIFD) follows chief Steve Heitman's departure at the end of January. After two decades as a member of the MIFD, Heitman will be moving on as the chief of the Renton Regional Fire Authority. Heitman — who has been the local fire chief since 2014 after serving as deputy fire chief and a firefighter — said he's leaving Mercer Island to take on a new challenge that will continue to drive him to improve and grow in his career. The plan includes executive and operational oversight of MIFD and representing the city's interests regionally.