Chief Kevin O’Brien Says Farewell and Thanks

— by Margie Doyle —

Orcas Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin O’Brien and his mother Colleen O’Brien

Orcas Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin O’Brien formally leaves his post on April 15 to take on a new assignment in Lake Stevens, Snohomish County. There will be a farewell ceremony at the Eastsound Fire Hall on Monday, April 13 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Chief O’Brien sat down to talk with Orcas Issues about his nine years with his family on the island, his three years as Orcas Chief, his accomplishments and challenges on Orcas, and his outlook on the future.

O’Brien has earned a reputation as caring, friendly and professional. The public responded to his announcement of his resignation with comments such as:

• Kevin, you brought so many wonderful and positive things to our fire department.
• You have been a wonderful leader, Chief O’Brien. We’ve all benefited from your charisma, hard work, humanity, and wisdom. We truly wish you and your family well in your new undertaking. (Steve Jung)
• Your leadership, vision, spirit, dedication and sense of community will be difficult to duplicate. (Rick Hughes)
• Not wanting to say good bye, but to THANK YOU for all you’ve done for our community with your FANTASTIC attitude! (Frank and Jan Loudin)
• Your dedication, compassion, leadership, and smiling faces are our definition of what makes our community special. (Cathy Faulkner)
• How we will miss seeing your friendly smile and wave in town and knowing that you are always willing to lend an ear. (Louellen and Miles McCoy)

Chief O’Brien is emphatic when he says the health, morale and professionalism of the Orcas Island Fire and Rescue District is “all about the team.”

“The opportunity to serve as Fire Chief has been incredible. and I’m so thankful to the Commissioners and the community. This is a community fire department and everything is directed toward serving the community. I’m so proud of the team of volunteers and career staff within the organization as well.”

Kevin O’Brien is the son of Coleen O’Brien, retired Orcas Elementary Principal. He is a career firefighter, serving in Auburn, south of Seattle, when he came here in 2006. Kevin and wife Nancy, a teacher and counselor at Orcas Elementary school, have three sons: Keenan, who will graduate high school this year, Daniel, a sophomore at Orcas High School, and Colin, a sixth-grader. “As a family, it has been wonderful to be involved in the community — with the school, the Park and Rec District, the Booster Club — and to raise our kids here. People have been so warm and welcoming. We love this community and always will.”

O’Brien was not looking to leave Orcas Island. But when Lake Stevens came looking for a new chief (its Deputy Chief did not want the position), O’Brien was faced with a decision that was best for his family and his career. “Had I not worked as Chief on Orcas, I wouldn’t be in a position to accept this job, and I am extremely grateful to Orcas for that.”

In the three years that O’Brien has served as Chief and Chief Executive Office (CEO) of the Orcas Fire and Rescue Department (OIFRD, his accomplishments include developing strong fiscal responsibility, revision of the Division (Assistant) Chiefs system, and development of a new strategic plan, as well as improving operations and business practices.

“The regulatory atmosphere is a huge challenge for a public organization, especially one dealing with public safety. That’s why I’m so excited about retaining our Class 6 standing. We were last audited in 1988 and lots of things have changed. The rules and standards have gotten more restrictive since then.”

O’Brien prioritizes life safety standards at the top of those rules and then “works down the list” to comply with vehicle maintenance, equipment replacement, fire station standards, insurance requirements and union relations, and more. “In a combination department there’s a lot of moving parts.

“We’ve had great support form the community, the commissioners and the volunteers, and passed the (2014) levy, This is a healthy organization — and it’s all about the team.”

How does a chief build a great team? “As a leader,” O’Brien says, “you have to show that we are all on the same team; first establishing relationships with each other built on respect. Empower everyone at their level to create and learn together. While you take your job seriously, you’re not taking yourself too seriously.

“Teamwork in a workplace environment can be sort of intangible, but it starts with having fun with the people you’re with. Depending on the situation, of course, you try to keep it as light as possible, spend time working outside, building trust over time. We’re all learning all the time.”

O’Brien is keenly aware of the balance the team must maintain when the emergency bell sounds. “It’s serious business then.” On the scene, leadership must be directive and advisory, evaluating the situation on a minute-by-minute basis. “It’s that serious, that critical. Our people are well-trained to work together, yet I have to observe within the team so that they can stay safe and return home to their families.

“That’s always our mission: that all our people and our citizens stay safe and go home safely. I’ll watch our people do great things, like at the Artworks fire (in 2013). Our firefighters and the community worked together to save the works of art in the building. It warmed my heart.”

O’Brien’s vision includes what he describes as “the NOW and the FUTURE of EMS-Fire Departments” as they meet the increased demands for service in an aging populations.  He explains “‘Mobile Integrated Health Care’  essentially describes the ways we as an EMS agency can prevent emergency alarms and transporting to emergency rooms.

“With Mobile Integrated Health Care, we keep people at home, and reduce costs to patients, to hospitals and to insurance companies. The critical part is establishing strong relationships with medical providers, and to provide outreach where patients don’t know how to handle smaller events, because they simply need help. But if we can work with them in proactive, non-emergency scenarios, we can keep the system healthy for major alarms,” says O’Brien.

As OIFR Chief, he has convened several meetings with emergency service and health care providers, and worked to set up Orcas CARES, a large component of the Mobile Integrated Health Care campaign, O’Brien says. He thanks Senior Center’s Marla Johns, and OIFR’s Rita Harvey, Pat Ayers and Alan Stamiesen in particular in that effort.

“OIFR does a lot of the outreach and patient education. It’s been huge and there’s room to grow, it’s very exciting.”

Leaving the Orcas Island community, Chief O’Brien says he’s concerned about “the health of the economy for working class people, for the ability to live and thrive on the island in general — homes to live in, food on the table, kids adequately provided for.”

“And in particular, at the fire department, our volunteers are working class people with multiple jobs. Their volunteer work here requires training and compliance — I’m concerned for them. For any economy to be healthy, we have to have working class people, paid a reasonable wage so they can afford to live and have the ability to thrive.

“I don’t have the answers, but I’m concerned.”

He describes himself as strongly driven to succeed. “I love being a fire chief, being here has taught me that. It’s what I do.”

He is excited to lead and work in a larger organization. Lake Stevens, just east of Everett, is a town of 44,000. In researching the position, O’Brien found a well-run department, with “everything in place. In any job, there are ups and downs, and it can be tough.”

Still with wife Nancy’s family in nearby towns, and with son Keenan across the state at WSU, and a well-supported, excellent school district and a friendly community, O’Brien says the Lake Stevens job “will be a great opportunity for our family, a great place to work, a very good fit.”

As on Orcas Island, O’Brien as Chief will bring vision, teamwork among the firefighters and  strong connection to the community. He says, “I’m leaving with nothing but fondness for the job and for the island.”