Vote Phil Hayden
For Gig Harbor Fire Commissioner
Position #4
ABOUT ME
Putting My Experience
to Work
I'm Phil Hayden and recently retired from West Pierce Fire and Rescue with 35 years experience in the Fire service. I served as a Firefighter on the engine for 11 years, as a Paramedic for 25 years, was a Rescue Technician, an Acting Battalion Chief, a member of the WA-TF1 FEMA team and retired as an Engine company Captain. I've served the cities of Lakewood and University Place on thousands of EMS and Fire related calls along with neighboring districts on mutual aid.
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I've lived in the Gig Harbor community for 20 years and raised our kids in the Peninsula Schools. We love Gig Harbor and have given back as sports coaches, VPO members and volunteers. I've lived a life as a First Responder and have a thorough understanding of the challenges which responders and Fire Department administrators face. It would be an honor to serve Gig Harbor as a Fire Commissioner as a continuation of my many years of serving the public.
My roots in public service come from a grandfather who worked for Tacoma fire for almost 40 years. I grew up in Tacoma, was hired with Lakewood Fire which merged with University Place Fire Department to become West Pierce Fire and Rescue. The first 11 years were on the engine as a Firefighter, the next ten years I worked on the Paramedic unit and then promoted back to the Engine as a Captain.
Regionally I was able to serve my department, Pierce County and Washington State in deploying with WA-TF1 to Maui for the fires in August of 2023. This was a very rewarding experience to serve in this capacity and furthered my understanding of emergency responses on the County, State and Federal level. I'm ready to support Gig Harbor Fire Department as a regional asset for the emergencies which might possibly come.
Volunteer Work-Gig Harbor and
WA- DOT Adopt A Road
As a First Responder our work encompasses many types of roads, structures and land. Having a safe right of way for the public when there's wrecks, injuries or brake downs is not often the case. In addition to safe shoulders is maintaining the grass and underbrush to prevent the errant cigarette from starting fires. I started "Local Firefighters" in the Washington State DOT Adopt A Road program several years ago and have cleared brush, mowed and picked up garbage on Highway 16 as a way of making a difference in our community and making it safe for the citizens, State Patrol, Fire department and supporting agencies who need to use the right of way.
I look forward to using my experience and job knowledge in supporting the department and being available to educate the public on the vision and mission of the department. Carrying out this mission in a cost effective and efficient manner as the region, laws and technology change is possible with oversight which has an understanding of the complexities of fire department operations. I have recent first hand job knowledge of many of these changes, trends and implications to operations in the fire service along with understanding of our regional partners and how it relates to affecting the Fire and EMS service model in Gig Harbor. As in many lines of work their are implications and ramifications for short and long range decisions. I'm in a position to assist in guiding the department and the public with those strategic decisions.