♪♪
-Good morning, everybody. Thank you for being here.
We'd like to announce the firefighter application window
from October 4th to November 29th.
This application window is only open once every two years,
and we anticipate hiring up to 80 firefighters and EMTs
over the next year.
The reason I am wearing this attire is to just, first of all,
make you smile because I think every politician,
deep, deep down, they want to be a firefighter,
somewhere in their ambitions and their dreams.
I know that when I was a young child,
I had visions of being that, as well.
I want to thank some folks.
Chief Scoggins, our great chief,
Local 27 President Kenny Stuart,
our Seattle Fire Department's entire leadership,
our firefighters themselves, and most of all the recruits.
I just had a minute
to spend time with the recruits in training
this morning as they get ready to take up the mantle
of saving lives and serving our community and saving community.
I'd like to start with a quote that I like.
The quote goes like this,
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news,
my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers.
You will always find people who are helping.'"
That's from Mr. Rogers.
So when I look for the helpers,
I know that we should look at our Seattle Fire Department
because they are indeed one of the strongest
and most effective fire departments in this country.
Now, joining the Fire Department isn't just another job,
it's really a career that makes a difference.
When people call 911 in Seattle for a fire or medical emergency,
they know that our dedicated
and skilled firefighters and paramedics
are ready to respond and help immediately.
Today, I'm excited to announce
that we are currently accepting applications
for firefighter positions during the period that I mentioned.
And we should make it clear,
you don't have to be a professional athlete,
you don't have to have a special credential
before you try to become a firefighter.
But what you need is what our current department has
in spades, and that is courage, compassion,
and commitment to serving our communities.
A certain level of selflessness that comes with the job.
I support and believe in the work
that our Seattle firefighters do,
and I say to all those that can listen,
you too can be part of this awesome team.
Our Seattle Fire Department is a national leader
with a standard of excellence.
Don't take my word for it, look at their rating.
I said look for the rating.
I'm looking for the rating. Just give me a second here.
It was -- well, no, just one sec.
I know it's the national rating but it's somewhere in my notes.
Okay.
In 2022,
the Seattle Fire Department became the first Fire Department
in Washington State
to receive the most exemplary rating Protection Class 1.
I know Chief Scoggins is proud of that.
As I said, look for the rating.
And they put those skills to work every day.
Last year, the Seattle Fire Department responded
to a record-setting 111,000 incidents,
including over 28,000 fires
and 16,000 advanced life support calls.
Our department provides effective, efficient,
and innovative emergency services to everyone in Seattle.
Now, we don't want anyone to have a stroke or heart attack
or some kind of critical condition,
but if you have something like a heart attack,
the best place to have it is here in Seattle.
That's because our Medic One Program continues
to set the standard for emergency services,
exemplifying a legacy of innovation and excellence
in pre-hospital care.
Our health program launched in 2019
gets individuals in crisis the immediate help that they need,
whether they need medical care, mental health care, shelter,
or other social services. The latest edition,
our Health 99 Overdose Response Unit launched last year
has already responded to over 500 overdoses,
and my budget proposal will invest in an additional team
as part of our comprehensive approach
to addressing the tragic scourge of opioid and fentanyl addiction
killing people on the streets of Seattle
and other major cities.
Many of you know that public safety is my top priority,
and this administration has gotten your back.
And by that, I'm talking about, particularly,
the people -- the men and women in our Fire Department,
in particular, at this moment.
The men and women in the Seattle Fire Department
have hearts of service.
Just over a week ago, many of you will recall
that I shared my proposed 2025 budget,
and I'm proud to say that even in a time of uncertainty
and incredible challenge,
we added nearly $45 million to the Seattle Fire Department.
You can now clap at that.
Thank you.
But in all seriousness,
that's because this is what the people want.
This is what the people need.
They hold us accountable, and they should.
This means adding, again,
an additional 20 firefighter recruits on top
of the planned 60,
more than doubling the slots for paramedic students,
more services for people in need,
and more proactive work to prevent fires
from happening through dangerous building abatement.
I said that my top priority is public safety,
and I think we demonstrated that in our budget.
We will be able to do more,
and we should do more, and I think we have the right talent,
the right leadership, and what I just saw this morning,
certainly, the right recruits.
So I'm very proud to stand with my brothers and sisters
at the Fire Department.
And with that, I'll turn it over to Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.
-Well, good morning. I hope you can hear me okay.
Yes.
You know, thank you, Mayor Harrell,
for your ongoing support of the Seattle Fire Department.
It means a lot and it's going to make us a better organization.
We appreciate it.
Your budget helps to fund firefighter, EMT positions,
and paramedic student positions
that we need to fill our current vacancies.
Currently, right now,
we have about 11% vacancies in the department.
We appreciate you prioritizing the public safety of our city's
residents and visitors.
That's important.
As the Mayor said,
we're actively accepting applications for the position
of firefighter/EMT, and so far, we've gotten a few.
We opened last Friday, and as of yesterday about 4:00,
we've already received about 783 applications.
So that's a good thing; it's going well.
We open our application period once every two years,
so we keep our list for a couple of years,
and we'll keep this list, and we're going to try
to really get some good people off of this list.
We see individuals from all walks of life
who make a choice to become firefighters.
We have teachers, construction workers, plumbers,
fitness instructors, nurses,
and personnel from other fire departments
from around the State and around the nation who come to Seattle.
We are seeking individuals
who have a passion for helping others,
who are committed to our values of integrity,
compassion, courage, diversity, and teamwork.
It is our mission to respond immediately
when any member of our community needs help with professional,
effective, and compassionate service.
If you share our values,
you like to work hard, enjoy being a part of a team and,
most importantly, you have a heart for service,
we want you to apply. That's important.
Our 16-week recruit school is rigorous
and both physically and mentally challenging.
To be successful in our program,
we recommend individuals interested in this career path
take the proper steps to prepare ahead of time.
We offer a variety of recruit preparation programs geared
towards practicing the skills
you'll need during recruit school.
You'll also need to prioritize your health and wellness
by being physically prepared,
both your body and your mind.
So why choose Fire? Well, that's easy to answer.
It's the best job in the world.
And I'll say that again. It's the best job in the world.
You get to spend your days with helping people;
in many cases, saving lives.
But you also need to know this career is not easy,
but it has lots of benefits.
Seattle firefighters are offered an excellent benefits package,
including a retirement plan,
and a starting wage of just under $95,000 a year,
and we work about eight 24-hour shifts a month.
As you grow in your career,
we offer many opportunities for advancement.
Whether that's promoting through the ranks
or pursuing other avenues, such as becoming a paramedic,
a dispatcher, an inspector, a fire investigator,
a fireboat pilot,
or an engineer, and many, many more opportunities.
The department also has a wide range of special operations
and technical teams,
including Rescue One, our Energy Response Team,
which is our newest team, our Hazardous Materials Team,
our Decon Team, our Marine Team, our Wildland Team,
and rescue swimmers.
And even you get to be a part of Washington State Taskforce One,
where we have a team right now staged in Mobile, Alabama,
waiting for Hurricane Milton to hit,
and they're going to be going to work soon.
So fill out your applications at seattlefirejobs.com.
And next, you'll hear from IAFF Seattle Fires
Local 27 Union President, Lieutenant Kenny Stuart.
-Test, one, two. Test, one, two.
Is there a -- is it okay? -Yeah, I think they can hear.
We'll just have to talk louder.
-Yeah, but it seemed like it went out.
-It did.
It went out right when you were speaking.
-Yeah.
-Test, test, test. Okay, it just jiggled.
How is everybody doing this morning?
First of all,
I want to thank Mayor Harrell for his continued
and strong support for the Fire Department
and for Seattle firefighters. My name is Kenny Stuart,
I'm President of Seattle Firefighters Union IAFF Local 27.
Thirty years ago,
I submitted an application to the Seattle Fire Department
and began my career as a firefighter.
I was a union carpenter.
I was packing lumber, climbing ladders, and swinging a hammer.
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect
when I began Recruit Class 72,
but I thought this job would be challenging,
serious, meaningful, and exciting.
And it turns out I was right.
But it was also a lot of hard work.
It was exhausting, difficult, and even painful,
but it was the most rewarding career
I could have ever imagined.
Being a firefighter is a great job.
It's a life's work.
It's a mission you share with a group of amazing
and talented people who become your family.
Being a firefighter is a noble profession.
It's physically demanding, requires a great deal of skill,
it's team-oriented, and it's time-critical.
But there are two sides to the Fire Department,
there's the exciting side and the other side.
It's a career of contrast.
Firefighters are industrial athletes
that face challenging obstacles.
At fire incidents, wearing over 60 pounds of gear,
we throw and climb ladders, we break doors and windows,
rush up stairways bringing tools,
or dragging firehose,
and sometimes drag or carry people out.
We do not quit. We do not give up.
We work hard to stay healthy and fit,
but firefighters also suffer a lot of injuries and illnesses
as a result of our job.
It goes with the territory.
That's why health and safety is such a priority for Local 27.
Fitness, determination,
and perseverance are sought-after skills
in the Fire Department.
Firefighters are highly skilled professionals.
Being a firefighter requires a lot of skill and training.
You'll learn about fire behavior, hydraulics,
fire suppression,
building construction, vehicle extrication,
rope rescue, elevators, marine emergencies,
water rescue, emergency medicine, and leadership.
It seems like we need to know a little something
about everything.
We do.
But firefighters are really problem-solvers.
We're often faced with new or unique challenges
that just require simple, plain old commonsense,
quick decision-making, compassion, and leadership.
Common sense, decisiveness,
and staying cool under pressure are sought-after skills.
Firefighters are team players.
We're always working in teams of two or four.
We work together in tough situations
to achieve our objectives.
But firefighters are also self-reliant and trustworthy.
Our teams depend on each individual to know
and do their job.
We trust each other with our lives
because our goal is so important --
to help people in need.
Trust and dependability are sought-after skills.
Firefighters are fast.
When the bell rings, the clock starts.
Our goal is to get anywhere in the city
in less than three minutes and get to work on whatever we find.
People are depending on us. Seconds count.
The firefighters are also thorough and detail-oriented.
Thankfully, some days, we do some waiting,
and we fill this time with training,
maintaining our equipment, maintaining our fire stations,
inspecting buildings, and more.
To those who are thinking about applying
to be a Seattle firefighter,
my final words to you are
that this is the best job in the world,
but it comes at a price.
But for many like me, the cost is worth it.
-I believe that was our last speaker.
I want to thank -- that was a great close there, Mr. Stuart.
We'll open it up for a few questions,
but we're going to --
I'm going to actually show an excellent example of
how equipment is used here in a minute.
There will be no laughing during my excellent demonstration
of the equipment.
But if you have any questions about what we just spoke about,
speak now or forever hold your peace.
Three, two, One Seattle! Thank you very much.
Let me show you a few things on this equipment.
[ Applause ]
All right.
-Thank you guys. -Absolutely.
-You guys were great. -Thanks, Chief.
-Who did all the heavy lifting? -I have no idea.
I'm here to show...
They're a little rusty. -These guys gonna help you out?
[ Engine starts ]