RIVER CROSSING

Pillar Presence –Anderson goes back to 1970 with SVFD

By Craig Howard Current Contributing Editor

When it comes to the career track taken by Bill Anderson, a loss to the fields of architecture and professional basketball turned into a gain for the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD).

Anderson admits “not being able to draw a stick figure” thwarted his dreams of becoming an architect while height and vertical jump limitations hindered his path to the NBA.

Anderson was delivering car parts following six months of active duty in the U.S. Army at Ft. Ord in California when a delivery brought him to a fire station in Spokane.

“I thought, ‘Maybe I should test for this and become a firefighter,’” Anderson recalls. “At the time, I was kind of lost on what to do.”

When he was 12, Anderson ran to pull a fire alarm when he witnessed a neighbor’s garage on fire. The experience left an impression. He wanted to prevent the same thing from happening to others.

Anderson ended up applying to a different fire department to the east. By the time the city fire HR office called, he had been accepted to join the ranks at SVFD.

The Spokane native would be assigned badge #124 and go on to spend nearly three decades with the department, retiring in 2000 as captain of Millwood Station 2. He was also an active leader of Spokane Valley Firefighters Local 876 and served with the Washington State Council of Firefighters for 25 years as a trustee.

“You’re a firefighter but you’re a member of the team and the team keeps you going,” Anderson said. It didn’t take long after retirement for Anderson to re-enter the sphere of influence at SVFD as he put his name on the ballot for fire commissioner. He defeated incumbent C. Ray Allen in the fall of 2000 and began serving in January 2001.

Anderson brought administrative experience outside SVFD to his new role, including serving on the West Valley School District Board from 1977 to 1981. He also spent a year as part of the Board of Freeholders, a group that provided input on improving efficiencies in county government.

Above all, Anderson wanted to give back to the department and community he had been dedicated to for so long.

“I wanted to be involved with the people we served and to those on the job,” he said. “I just wanted to make the fire department as good as it could be.”

After emerging victorious in four elections and serving 24 years as a commissioner, Anderson will step down at the end of 2023, culminating 53 years of service to SVFD. His tenure with the department spans a time that has included 10 different fire chiefs. Only Ron Schmidt served longer as a commissioner.

A trio of candidates – Rick Freier, George Orr and Diana Wilhite – are running for Anderson’s soon-to-be- vacated position.

“It has been a pleasure having Bill Anderson serve as a Board of Fire Commissioner at Spokane Valley Fire Department,” said SVFD Fire Chief Frank Soto Jr. “He has brought a unique perspective to the board in his many years of service to our community. It is not often a citizen serves for so long. We wish him well as he leaves us in pursuit of the next chapter of his life.”

Anderson grew up in North Spokane and attended Rogers High School, receiving his diploma in 1963. He enrolled at Eastern Washington University after graduation and later enlisted in the Army, serving six months of active duty as part of a helicopter maintenance crew. He would serve later in the Army National Guard.

He returned to EWU later to earn a degree in general studies to go along with an associate’s degree from Spokane Community College.

“I had a grip on the commissioner role when I started,” Anderson said. “I tried to put my two cents in. We were all concerned with benefiting the firefighters and the people of the Valley. I hope people think of me as good person, someone who cared.”

Anderson and his wife Fran have five children, six grandkids and one grandchild in their combined family.

“It’s important to me that we continue the good service we’ve always given the people,” Anderson said. “We’ve accomplished a lot and are pulling in the same direction to get better. I’m very proud of the Spokane Valley Fire Department.”

Q: How did your experience in the Army benefit you as a firefighter?

A: My outlook on life was changed when I served active duty in the Army. I realized I needed to mature and make a plan for my life. It helped me to realize that I had to work harder to complete my education if I was to have the life I wanted. It also showed me the importance of teamwork in any job you have if you want to succeed.

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Q: How has SVFD responded to coverage in the Valley as the area has expanded over the years?

A: I started as number 59 on the line with six stations. My group was hired to increase first responders to three on each apparatus. It didn’t take long for retirements and injuries to move us back to two-man companies. As the Valley grew, we came to the conclusion that for the safety of our firefighters and our community, we needed more first responders on duty daily. We then mandated at least three-person crews on pumper apparatus and four on ladder apparatus to do the job.

Q: Are there certain advances in technology since you started in this field over 50 years ago that have been particularly impactful?

A: The job itself is still labor intensive as the training for our people is as well. Since over 80 percent of the fire department calls are for medical emergencies, we now have paramedics on all apparatus if possible. Fire responses have also changed with how we fight fires. If firefighters have to enter a burning building for each two, in there are two more out as well as an emergency rescue group outside. It continues to evolve.

Q: Hiring a qualified fire chief is a key responsibility of fire commissioners. In your opinion, what makes a good fire chief?

A: In my opinion a good fire chief has the respect and backing of all department employees. Communication with the employees and the community is a necessity. The fire chief is aware of the concerns of both the community as well as employees and all partners who work with and serve in the community. Honesty, integrity and good character are a must.

Q: What was the most rewarding aspect for you of being a firefighter? How about as a commissioner?

A: As a firefighter, my greatest reward was a job well-done and the high esteem we held with our community. Even though we were involved in things where lives were lost or people lost everything, we did everything we possibly could to make things better. As a commissioner it is the building of a first-class fire department. In my opinion SVFD is the best in the state.

Q: There are three qualified candidates running for the commissioner position you will be retiring from. What advice would you give to the person who wins the election?

A: Keep an open mind. You’ll not agree with everything done but you’re one of five on a board with different opinions. Remember that your decisions will be welcomed by some and opposed by others. You’re involved with a million-dollar entity of the public’s money. Choose what you honestly feel is best for all the stakeholders and is a safe path.

Q: Finally, what are some of the most important fire protection measures the general public should be practicing?

A: Have working smoke detectors and please pay attention to fire alerts and safety warnings. Watch for responding vehicles and pull to the right if possible to allow them to pass. Drive safely and don’t hesitate to call 911 for any emergency. Waiting can make it worse.