News - Local News

POSTED: Monday, Apr. 27, 2009

Point Roberts fire chief who improved training retires

The chief of Whatcom County Fire District No. 5 in Point Roberts has retired after spending more than 17 years in the fire service.

Fire Chief Bill Skinner, 60, began his career as a firefighter in 1992 because he felt a need to serve his local community. Before he ended it, he changed the way volunteer firefighters are trained in Whatcom County.

Mark Ellison, a former career firefighter in Bellevue, has become the new chief, Skinner said.

Skinner grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, and moved to Vancouver, B.C., as an adult to work for Air Canada as a jetliner pilot.

He immigrated to the U.S. in 1992, and after reading an advertisement in his local newspaper, decided to volunteer for District 5. He said becoming a firefighter had been a childhood dream.

"Like most young kids, I thought I'd like to be a policeman or I'd like to be a firefighter," Skinner said. "It just intrigued me."

He attained several promotions throughout the years, going from lieutenant to captain to assistant chief and then to battalion chief when District 5 joined North Whatcom Fire and Rescue.

The district left North Whatcom in 2004, and its commissioners asked Skinner to lead it as fire chief. He agreed.

"I thought, it's really not going to be much a change from my old job," Skinner said.

When he became chief, Skinner used his membership in the Whatcom County Fire Chiefs' Association to push for more training for firefighters, he said.

At that time, firefighters were trained to a point just short of achieving a certification with the National Fire Protection Association, Skinner said.

Chiefs worried that if they did get that certification they would leave the districts for paid positions in larger departments, Skinner said.

Skinner said that was unfounded and pushed them into adopting training policies that motivated firefighters to get that certification.

"All of the chiefs agreed that was a groundless fear," Skinner said. "Better-trained firefighters are safer and more knowledgeable."

Skinner said he plans to purchase an RV to travel to Arizona in the winters and lakes in central Washington and British Columbia for fishing in the spring and summer. He also plans to do more boating in the San Juan Islands.

He said he'll miss being heavily involved in the fire service, but plans to volunteer - as time permits.

"As the chief, you just can't leave for days and weeks at a time," Skinner said. "But it wouldn't be fair to myself to not take advantage of my health and do some other things."