Command Staff
Fire Chief Scott Goldstein
The Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue (C2FR) Fire Chief Scott E. Goldstein started with us on July 17th 2023. Chief Goldstein joins C2FR after serving Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service in Rockville Maryland for just shy of 33 years. Chief Goldstein served all positions in MCFRS starting as a recruit fire fighter in August 1990. Before being hired in 1990, he started as a volunteer fire fighter in 1987 with the Kensington Volunteer Fire Department. At MCFRS, he served as a fire fighter, station officer, deputy safety officer, staff and field battalion chief, special operations assistant chief, Operations Division Chief prior to becoming the Fire Chief in 2015. Beginning in 1991, he served in many roles for Maryland Task Force 1, one of twenty-eight urban search and rescue teams commissioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Chief Goldstein’s educational accomplishments include a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science from the University of Maryland and a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School.
He and his wife Heidi have been married for twenty-three years and are the proud parents of two 21-year-old sons, Wyatt and Logan.
Chief Goldstein has moved to Kelso Washington and joins Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue to be closer to family in the Pacific Northwest.
Deputy Chief of Operations Kurt Stich
DC Stich started his fire service career in 1992 as a volunteer with Castle Rock Fire and EMS. In 1993 he began his journey into paramedicine and was hired full time while working to obtain his National Registry Paramedic certification in 1995. He served as a Lieutenant and later the Fire Chief for the City of Castle Rock until his move to Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue in 2002. Kurt has served as a firefighter /paramedic, Fire investigator ,Lieutenant and Battalion Chief with Cowlitz 2 until his promotion to Deputy Chief.
Kurt is active in the wild land setting as many of our officers and has spent many summer seasons leading County Strike teams or as a Task Force Leader. Recently he began working with PNW Incident Management Team #7 as a Division Supervisor.
Kurt is the Former Chair of the Washington State Training, Safety and Officers board which is a branch of the Washington State Fire Chief’s. He has spent many of his nearly 30 years in the fire service teaching in one capacity or another. For many of those years he has served as a Senior EMT instructor and has provided EMT instruction for many of our Cowlitz 2 employees as well as those in adjoining departments and Counties.
Kurt has two daughters Lindsey and Cassi and two granddaughters Rylee and Zoey. Kurt enjoys traveling with wife Joni and his family to warmer locations. As well as spending time in the woods and camping.
Deputy Chief of Planning Jeremy Huff
Deputy Chief Huff, born and raised in Kelso “GO HILANDERS,” began with Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue as an intern in 1996 and was hired full time in March of 2003. After several years as a firefighter/paramedic, he was promoted to Lieutenant in 2011. In 2012 he was assigned as the Deputy Fire Marshal until his recent promotion to Deputy Chief of Planning in April of 2021.
Outside of work DC Huff enjoys camping anytime he can with his family, most of all camping at the beach. DC huff also enjoys traveling and seeing new sites with his family, and try’s to zip line at all the places they travel too.
Brandi Ballinger
Finance Director
Finance Director Ballinger has been with Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue since 1999. She started as a work study student through LCC and was hired full time shortly thereafter. She has earned two degrees, one in Business Administration and another in Accounting. She is currently the Finance Director for the District, supervising the department’s admin support specialists, handling all aspects of the budget process, investments, payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, auditing and all financial oversight in general.
Brandi is also a National Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, earning this certification in 2001. She has been nationally recognized for her work in creating a safer community by ensuring children are traveling as safe as possible in a vehicle. She serves on the Safe Kids Executive Board as the Vice-Chair and began her involvement with them in 2001. She has not missed a single monthly car seat clinic since 2005.
Battalion Chief Matt Beaulaurier- A Shift
BC Beaulaurier
is a native of Naselle, WA and started his fire service career as a Volunteer Firefighter/EMT with Naselle Volunteer Fire Department and then the Corvallis, OR fire department. After graduating Oregon State University in 2004 with a degree in Forest Engineering he worked in forest management for Weyerhaeuser and the Washington Department of Natural Resources where he was involved with the timber sales and wildland fire program.
BC Beaulaurier was hired full time as a Firefighter/Paramedic at Pacific County Fire District #1 in 2009. During this time he completed his degree in Fire Science, administered the agency wildland fire training program and was promoted to Shift Captain. He was also active as a volunteer firefighter in Wahkiakum County including serving as the Fire Chief of Wahkiakum Fire District #4. In 2018 Matt moved to Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue where he has served as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Training Specialist and Lieutenant until his promotion to Battalion Chief. BC Beaulaurier is active in wildland fire including serving as a Task Force Leader and leading regional Strike Teams. Currently he is assigned to Northwest Incident Management Team #10 as a Division Supervisor.
He lives in Toutle with his wife and two daughters. Outside of work he enjoys aviation, hunting, shooting, fishing, skiing and anything outdoors.
Battalion Chief James Graham- B Shift
BC Graham started his career as an intern firefighter with Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue in 1997. He has served the district in a multitude of positions including driver operator, deputy fire marshal, captain and battalion chief.
Away from work, James spends time on his farm with wife Catie and children Keeley and Gannon. He also enjoys time on his motorcycle, hunting and bowling.
Battalion Chief Erik Dearth- C Shift
BC Dearth began his career in Pullman Washington where he attended Washington State University. After graduation, he attended the paramedic program at Central Washington University. He continued working several years in Yakima and with the Mercer Island Marine program. He was hired with Cowlitz 2 in 2010 and has served as a Paramedic, Training Specialist, Hazmat Tech, and Lieutenant prior to being promoted to Battalion Chief. As a BC he oversees the Planning Department, Training, Inspections, and Volunteer Programs.
When not at work you can find him with his daughter Bailey and wife Amy fishing our local rivers or just enjoying the outdoors.
Battalion Chief Dan Cothren- Planning
BC Cothren began his FIRE/EMS journey in 1991 as a volunteer with the Cathlamet Fire Department, marking the start of a career rooted in community service. After graduating high school in 1993, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he began paramedic training as a he was completing his active duty assignment. In 1996, he earned his NREMT Paramedic certification while being employed and remaining at AMR NW until 2001.
In April 2001, Dan joined Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue as a Firefighter Paramedic, bringing experience and passion to the frontline. Over the years, he has contributed to specialized teams including Fire Investigation and HazMat, and as a shift Training Specialist before being promoted to Lieutenant in 2020.
Dan’s commitment to wildfire response spans decades, with active roles in regional efforts and current assignment as Division Supervisor on PNW Team #8. His dedication extended beyond career service—he volunteered as Fire Chief for Wahkiakum Fire District #4 until 2010 while maintaining his position with C2FR. He’s also spends countless hours instructing Fire and EMS professionals in a variety of disciplines. As a BC he oversees the Planning Department, Training, Inspections, and Volunteer Programs.
Away from the frontlines, BC Cothren finds joy in family life and the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. He resides in Cowlitz County with his wife, Sarah, and their two sons, where they share a love for the outdoors and each other.