Do You Have What it Takes?
BC Scott Hatley has been a South Kitsap Fire & Rescue Volunteer for twenty years. Scott joined the department
to give something back to the community. Scott is the Battalion Chief for Battalion 1. He is also
the Volunteer Duty Chief every three weeks. His most memorable moments with the district include
The Crown Hill School fire, PSNS Officers club fire(shown in photo), and the Kona Village Fire. Scott's hobbies
and interest include Kite building and Kite Flying. Scott is proud to say that his other job is retirement.
Lt. Gary Chasteen started volunteering for South Kitsap Fire & Rescue in 1988. He is retired navy, currently certified as a Biomedical Equipment Technician with CHI at St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma. He became interested in volunteering with the department through his volunteer history in law-enforcement while stationed in Orlando, Florida and Okinawa, Japan. Gary just wanted to get back involved in his new community, and the fire service was looking for help. He is trained to operate the Engines & Ladder Truck, perform as an EMT, and act as a Battalion Chief for the department. Gary is always up spirited and will ask those with him, "Are we having fun yet?"
Mike has been with District 7 for almost 10 years. Before that,
he was with Pierce county Dist 5 Gig harbor since 1984. He became a LT in July of 1994,
He is currently President of the KCFD7 Volunteer Association. He is also a board member
with the
WSFFA. He Enjoys training the most in the fire department. "I love teaching
people what I know, I am an instructor at the State academy." "My most
memorable experience, and not a very good one, was on July 4th of 1999 We had
a vehicle vs a pedestrian accident and a young lady was killed. There was no
chaplain on the scene, Her best friend was there in tears talking on a cell
phone to the deceased ladys parents. She handed me the phone and I had to
tell these people that their daughter had just been killed in an accident.
This was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! It made me take a
look back and taught me not to take life for granted. I went right home and
hugged my kids and wife and it changed me in several ways." Mike is a diesel
mechanic for the Department of Defense out at Fort Lewis. His hobbies are
Boating, fishing , camping, coaching Little League,(and watching it) and doing
things with my family. One of Mike's favorite quotes: "Never put off till tomorrow
what can be accomplished or done today."
My Dad is the one who got me started in the
fire service. He has been a volunteer for 20 years in gig harbor. I respond
out of sta. 15."
Terry Lerma is a Lieutenant/EMT-B in the Volunteer Suppression Program. He started volunteering with SKFR in 1996
initially assigned to Battalion V-2 at Station 11. He retired from the US Navy in 1999 as a Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman
whose last duty station was as Program Director for the EMT-B school at Naval Submarine Base Bangor.
He worked for 7 years at Harrison Silverdale as the Lead Medical Imaging Technologist. In May 2007,
he began working full time as the Emergency Manager for Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington.
His qualifications with SKFR include; Firefighter, EMT-B, Tender Operator, Pump Operator, Ladder Company Operator,
and Fire Service Instructor Level One. On June 10, 2010 he was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to Battalion V-3,
Station 12 in Olalla, Washington. His other hobbies include volunteering as a K9 handler with All Breeds Canine Search
and Rescue and as an Operations Chief for Kitsap Explorer Search and Rescue.
He is married with three grown children and 8 grandchildren.
Ron has been a volunteer fire fighter for 15 years. He has been with SKFR since 1998, and for the nine years prior to that, with King County District 10 (Eastside Fire & Rescue). He comes from a family of volunteer firefighters, including his Father, Brother, and two Brother-in Laws. He enjoys the “brotherhood” of firefighters and being involved in the community in a way that really matters.
Josh inspires to become a career firefighter. He is currently a Suppression Volunteer Firefighter and the Association Secretary.
David is one of our Suppression Volunteer Firefighter who frequently assist in Volunteer Assoication related business.
Forrest began his volunteering as a teen through the Dept of Emergency Management and Search & Rescue.
Over the next decade he progressed to high angle/mountain rescue and attained his EMT certificate.
Around 2002 he brought this experience to the fire dept and joined the SKF&R volunteer association.
After volunteering for several years, Forrest did a little traveling for a commercial diving group
and finally came back into the area to be with family. Now back in the volunteer association, he is
hoping to become a career firefighter in the near future and is starting the process of getting into
school to become certified as a Paramedic.
Lucke started volunteering for the District in 1994. Life safety and having the opportunity to help people were his primary interest in becoming a firefighter. He remembers the quick and professional response the volunteers of Rocky Point gave his daughter when she was injured in 1993. Those people influenced him.
Realizing that at any given moment someone could suddenly be struggling with a medical or traumatic situation, he is thankful for South Kitsap Fire & Rescue. Because the District offers the generous opportunity for people to receive proper training to deal with such incidences, he is proud to provide help when ever possible.
His most memorable experience was his first full arrest dispatch of an infant. He remembers going over all the training in his mind during the 90 second trip from his door to the patient's on a cold winter morning. As with many of the calls, that one ended happily.
Lucke has been trained for running the pumps on the District Engines and Tenders, fighting wildland fires, and EMT level medical responses. His favorite saying is, "I am here now, let's do it" because time is too valuable to put things off until later.
Lucke works in Reactor Engineering at a local shipyard. He enjoys most any activity that involves getting out and about. His favorite thing to do is travel to a new place, put on some running shoes and run around to see the sites.
BC Scott Hartley
CPT. Gary Chasteen
LT. Mike Smith
LT. Terry Lerma
FF Ron Armbrust
Ron currently responds out of Station 15 and is qualified as a Pump/Tender operator. Hobbies are hunting, fishing, and golf.
Ron’s other job is as a private contractor providing Operation & Maintenance of alternative wastewater treatment systems. He also operates a small sheep farm in the Burley area.
Ron believes that as a firefighter, businessman, neighbor, or as a person, you should always “Return with Honor”, and carries a tag on his keychain to remind him of this every day.
FF Josh Zurbrugg
FF David Barr
FF Forrest Stieber
AO RS Lucke