Chief Teran Retiring from BIFD
Hank Teran, Bainbridge Island Fire Department Chief, will retire in January after 15 years at the helm of the BIFD and 44 in fire service. Deputy Chief Jared Moravec will assume the department's top spot beginning February 1.Teran was named the Chief Dan Packer Fire Chief of the Year in 2022 by the Washington Fire Chiefs. He was commended for his service, which included tenure as
- President of the Kitsap County Fire Chiefs Association
- a Washington Fire Chiefs Association (WFC) Board member
- Vice President of the WFC
- a WFC county liaison, section representative
- a member of the Washington State Association of Fire marshals (WSAFM)
- a member of the State Building Code Council
- a member of the Kitsap County Fire Chiefs Association.
- Kitsap County EMS Council's Chair
- Kitsap County Fire and Life Safety Section Chair
- Kitsap County Risk Management Group Chair
- Kitsap County Administrative Section Chair
In addition, Teran was instrumental in the establishment of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI) for the WFC.During Teran's tenure, the BIFD increased staffing to ensure that all three island fire stations are open all the time. This extended department presence in the southern and northern parts of the island is an important element of the department's ability to respond quickly to calls for paramedics and can make the difference in saving a person's life: The National Fire Protection Association standards recommend that paramedics be able to respond to a patient within four minutes or less. Meeting this standard was not always possible when the northern and southern stations weren't open.Deputy Chief Moravec was named 2022 Firefighter of the Year by the Washington Detachment of the American Legion in honor of his work with Bainbridge Prepares on the island's COVID response.Featured image courtesy of BIFD.
