Jared Moravec
Meet the Chief of BIFD
By Connie Bye
Photos by Dinah Satterwhite
Jared Moravec, 49, joined the Bainbridge Island Fire Department in 2006 and became chief in 2023. During a time of change for the fire service—most calls are for emergency medical help now—he maintains the commitment to community service that guided his career choice as a high school student in Omaha, Nebraska. Despite his title, Moravec still might show up at your door in an emergency. He and his wife, Heather, have lived for nearly 20 years on Bainbridge, where they reared their son, Tyler
Why does this profession appeal to you?
When I was 10, my dad passed away unexpectedly. In the days, months and years thereafter, a lot of individuals helped me and my family. Being able to pay that gift forward was something I could do through a career in fire service.
Do you still respond to calls?
When we have larger incidents, I can act as senior adviser to battalion chiefs. Sometimes we get really busy, and additional help might be coming from off island, and I respond to help fill the gap until those other resources arrive. The third scenario is if I’m close to where the call comes in.
How many of your crew are paid versus volunteers?
We have 52 paid, uniformed responders and five volunteer responders.
With the predominance of calls for emergency medical response, has training changed?
No, because our baseline training that we must complete as firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, are set through regulation. The State Department of Health sets continuing education requirements for EMTS and paramedics. There are a lot of services we’re expected to fulfill and there’s a volume of training—whether on the firefighting side, medical or rescue—there’re just lots of things our responders have to be prepared for.
Your department has worked with Bloedel on firefighting measures.
This was the first agency in Kitsap County to develop a fire action plan, back in 2010, and since then, we’ve updated it. The potential for wildfire on the island exists and we’re well-prepared if that happens. We’ve been building partnerships and relationships with other agencies that have a mutual interest; one of those is Bloedel. The use of fire as a natural-resource-management tool is something Bloedel is interested in, and we work with
them to gain experience for our folks. We’ve also been working with the Bainbridge Island parks district and the Bainbridge Island Land Trust to pursue expanded opportunities to address wildfire mitigation.
Why are Bainbridge stations numbered 21, 22 and 23 instead of 1, 2 and 3?
We’re called Bainbridge Island Fire Department, but we are a fire protection district, which means we’re not part of the city, but rather the Kitsap County Fire Protection District Number 2, so that’s where we get 21, 22 and 23. So instead of Engine 1, we have Engine 21.
All of the apparatus that respond across Kitsap County have unique identifiers.
Does your staff enjoy the holiday music truck visits to neighborhoods?
We post a sign-up sheet each November and the sign-ups go quickly. It’s a great way to get out and celebrate the holiday season, get to all parts of the island and engage with the community.
Your department sells merchandise. The best-seller is a Bay Hay and Feed-style T-shirt. Why do this?
The proceeds go to the Bainbridge Island Volunteer Firefighters Association. And we think it’s a great way to share the fire department with the community, to let people show a little pride in their fire department. Also, the proceeds get passed on to the department through donations from the volunteer association to be used for equipment, training and station improvements.
