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News Release: At their meeting on October 28, 2020, the Board of Commissioners for Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue approved an employment contract with Scott Neves to serve as Fire Chief effective April 1, 2021.
Current Fire Chief Dave LaFave previously announced his retirement effective April 1, 2021. Chief LaFave started his career with Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue as a volunteer in 1983, was hired as a firefighter in 1986, and was appointed Fire Chief in 2001.
Scott Neves is currently the Police Chief for the City of Castle Rock. Scott previously served Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue as a volunteer for 25 years, starting in 1985 and rising through the volunteer ranks to the level of Battalion Chief and Group Supervisor. Scott was elected to the Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Board of Commissioners in 2011 and served on the board until he recently resigned to be eligible for consideration for the fire chief position.
Although he has enjoyed his career first as a police officer, and then as Police Chief for the City of Castle Rock, Scott is looking forward to the challenge of leading Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue. After the board approved hiring him, Scott stated “I am honored and humbled by the great opportunity that the Board of Commissioners has given me to lead the team of the outstanding men and women of Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue. I am excited about the future.”
Retiring Fire Chief Dave LaFave commented on the hiring of Scott that “I expect a smooth and fairly seamless transition. Scott knows the issues of the District, the personnel and the service area well from both his role as a Commissioner and his years of service as a volunteer. His experience as a Police Chief offers insight for the role as Chief of the Fire District. The duties of Chief for both types of first response agencies are similar enough for a person to assimilate from one to the other. I expect him to do a good job.”
Board Chairman Jeff Cameron commented “The Board is very pleased that Scott expressed interest in our fire chief position. Scott served on the front line of response along side many of our personnel, and he knows the business side of the District from his years of service as a fire commissioner. Scott’s philosophy supports the District’s long history of cost containment for our taxpayers, and our high level of customer service to our citizens.”
Due to the pending retirement of second member of the command staff and to provide a smooth transition period between fire chiefs, Scott will be appointed to a Deputy Chief position effective February 1, 2021, to work along with Chief LaFave and other command staff. Then on April 1, 2021, Scott will be appointed to the Fire Chief position.
Congratulations Scott, this is the start of your next chapter in a lifetime of public service. Wishing you great success.
A true public servant! Thanks for all your hard work to keep us safe. Glad our county is in good hands
You will be such an asset to the Fire Department and the Community! Congratulations, Chief Scott!
Congratulations Scott Neves I'm so proud of the life of helping others you've chosen. It's been a long time since rookie school! Congratulations Chief on your upcoming retirement, a time well earned 👏
Congratulations Chief LaFave on your impending retirement...well-earned and deserved my friend! Thank you for your service and leadership over the years. It has been an honor getting to know you these past several years and I am proud to call you my friend! Congratulations Chief Neves on your impending promotion...I look forward to working with you. Please don't hesitate to call on the State Fire Marshal's Office if we can ever be of assistance to you. Best wishes in your new role!
Best wishes and congratulations on being Fire Chief of Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue Department. May you have a good time at your new job. Mike and Carolyn Prusky
One of my best C.E.R.T. instructors had been both a fire fighter and a police officer.
Congratulations Scott, I know it was always great working with you as a volunteer, I'm positive you will be an awesome chief of Cowlitz 2!
Congratulations to Dave on his retirement and congratulations to Scott for his new appointment! Hard for me to accept the " change of the guard"! Dave has always been my favorite Fire Chief! But also know Scott will do a great job!💖
Congratulations Scott! Best wishes in your new position!
Sounds like a good choice to me, but hard to believe Dave can retire already!!! Win win..
Congratulations! So very proud of you!
Good job Scotty, Dave left you a gem.
Congratulations Scott!
Congratulations Scott
Way to go Scotty!
Fantastic!!!!
Looks like they really lowered their standard for fitness in the fire department
Congrats Scott! And Congrats to Dave on his upcoming retirement!
Congratulations! You will be amazing and cowlitz 2 made the best choice in selecting you!
Congratulations Scott Neves! They made a great choice. All who know you, know you'll do a great job.
Congrats Scott!!! And thank you to Dave for all the years of service!
I've known and worked with Scott since way back when. What are they thinking? LOL Couldn't do better, congratulations.
Congratulations. What a great choice they made with you as chief
Sweet. Congratulations Scotty. A well deserved position.
Please follow the information on this post if you are having an emergency.
Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue looking to fill Board of Commissioners vacancy
Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue looking to fill Board of Commissioners vacancy
tdn.com
The Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue Fire District is looking for community members to fill a vacancy on the Board of Commissioners.You might have noticed something new at our stations... some spiffy new signs! Our signs at Kelso Station 21, Bakers Corner Station 22, and Lexington Station 25 were upgraded as part of the 2016 Capital Improvements Bond passed by our voters. Keep an eye on our signs for weekly call stats, important alerts, and safety messages!
The Bakers Corner Station 22 sign will turn off overnight so we comply with the City of Longview sign regulations.
Public Service Announcement.
We would like to remind everyone that school speed zones are in full effect. There are students in each building now. Please slow down to 20mph in those zones.
and please don't tailgate those of us who are going 20mph!
PUBLIC NOTICE
COWLITZ 2 FIRE & RESCUE
FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER VACANCY
Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue, serving the city of Kelso and unincorporated areas around Kelso and Longview, has a vacancy in Commissioner Position #1 due to the recent resignation of the incumbent. The vacancy will be filled by Board of Commissioners appointment to complete the remainder of the term expiring December 31, 2023.
If you are interested in serving your community as a Fire Commissioner, please submit a letter or email expressing your interest and describing your qualifications to serve on the Board of Commissioners. Letters and emails must be submitted to district’s Financial Analyst/Office Manager no later than 4:00 pm on Monday, November 16, 2020.
Brandi Ballinger, Financial Analyst/Office Manager
701 Vine Street, Kelso, WA 98626
[email protected]
Phone: 360-575-6280
Fax: 360-578-5220
Applicants will be notified if they are selected for an interview. Interviews by the Board of Commissioners will be conducted at the Board’s special meeting scheduled for 5:30 pm on December 9, 2020, at 701 Vine Street, Kelso, WA. If in-person interviews are not allowed under COVID-19 restrictions, video or telephone interviews will be conducted during the virtual board meeting.
Requirements: Applicants must be a registered voter residing within the Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue district boundary.
Firefighters continue to train on the condemned houses this weekend in the 300 and 400 blocks of Catlin St. and SW 4th Ave. They practiced breaching walls, search and rescue techniques, and firefighter down scenarios.
Fire crews will be training on these buildings through the month of October. Once completed the houses will be turned back over to the City of Kelso for demolition. Once again, thank you City of Kelso for allowing us to train on these.
So great to see them put to some use before we tear them down for West Main!!! 🙂 Great work guys!
Be safe!
Don’t forget the one on North 6th Ave. in Kelso!!
Cowlitz 2 firefighters to use condemned Kelso buildings for training
Cowlitz 2 firefighters to use condemned Kelso buildings for training
tdn.com
Firefighters from Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue this month will use four condemned buildings in Kelso for training.This is training only. The fire departments are not going to burn them to the ground . Some people were worried about the smoke. The city will come in and demolish the houses after the training. I am sure the fire departments appreciate the opportunity to train as it helps them learn how to protect the citizens of the area.
We've gotten a couple questions about the Big Hollow Fire. Most of this fire is not in Cowlitz County, and it is not in our jurisdiction at all, but we know there are citizens in our district with ties to the area. Here is the latest information from the authorities over the fire.
tdn.com/slow-burning-big-hollow-fire-70-contained/article_ad2ea6ff-45cc-508d-8886-20e0c7527d05.ht...
Slow-burning Big Hollow Fire 70% contained
tdn.com
The Big Hollow Fire just east of Cowlitz County is now considered to be 70% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.