CCFD #3 Fire Chief Kelly O’Brien reflects on 36 years of service

LEAVENWORTH – Chelan County Fire District #3 (CCFD #3) Fire Chief Kelly O’Brien celebrated his retirement from 36 years of service on Nov. 21. 

“I'm just appreciative of the fire chiefs that brought me into the fire service, Chief Taylor, Chief DeVore, that they gave me opportunities to learn and develop as a fire chief and a firefighter. I'm thankful for the support the community has given us, and I'm thankful for the people that are not only in the organization now, but have been in the organization at some time during those 36 years,” said O’Brien.

O’Brien started his fire career as a volunteer in 1988, then was hired as a seasonal employee the following year.

“After that summer, I really knew that's what I wanted to do,” said O’Brien. “I just loved it…firefighting, going on aid calls, I liked all of it. So, the manual labor was just enough to keep you busy in between responses. I really did it because I love the responses.”

O’Brien became the district’s second full-time paid employee in 1994, working his way up the ranks from a firefighter and EMT, to captain and assistant chief, serving as the department’s training officer and acting as the Fire Marshal for the City of Leavenworth. 

“I think the biggest piece of advice I could give somebody is really take the time to learn your craft. There's so many areas that the fire service is involved in. And in larger organizations, you can really specialize. Take that time when you have people that are more experienced and learn your craft from them, because there is no amount of training that takes place of experience,” said O’Brien.

He became fire chief in 2004, where he oversaw the 2012 annexation of the City of Leavenworth into the fire district, as well as the passing of a levy in 2017.

“We hadn't asked for a levy lift for like, over 30 years…Our operating funds were really challenged…We were in a position at one time, I had to lay off somebody to buy equipment. You don't want to ever want to be in that position,” said O’Brien.

The passing of the levy increased the district’s budget, allowing it to hire more career personnel, build training grounds, provide a high level of training, upgrade equipment, and offer competitive wages.

Throughout his tenure, O’Brien was influential in firefighter development. Early in his career, O’Brien worked with volunteers to develop a sleeper program at the station. Under the program, resident volunteers with a number of training hours are allowed to stay at the station alongside career staff during their rotating shifts. In doing so, they are able to respond to more calls, increasing their experience.

“That got people to stay at the station, which allowed us to provide a better, higher level of service for the community. The better those personnel got, the more they wanted to do for the community. And it just built, and that's where the organization really started to take off,” said O’Brien.

O’Brien also developed the high school cadet program, which provides structural and wildland firefighter training to students enrolled at Cascade High School. The Career Technical Education (CTE) program is sponsored by the Cascade School District, and has produced career firefighters, as well as many Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources wildland firefighters.

“It's a benefit to the organization, it's a benefit to the kids in the school, and it's a benefit to the community…You're influencing kids as lives to turn them on to a great career that they could end up [in] if they choose to do that,” said O’Brien.

While wildfire fuels reduction and education has been a longstanding priority for CCDF #3, O’Brien pioneered the district’s proactive efforts in the last 15 years, such as providing a chipping program for residents, and implementing fuel reduction work along Chumstick Highway and other parts of the community.

“If we're going to save homes, we need to be out there helping people get that done, because it directly benefits us when we do have a fire. We can save more people's homes when that work is done, and it's safer,” said O’Brien.

As O’Brien enters retirement, he plans to spend time with his grandchildren, and travel with his wife, Janae. 

“[With] this job, I've never really been able to take much of a summer vacation. So, I want to take some summer vacations,” laughed O’Brien.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media