Taylor new Moses Lake fire chief

Assistant chief served as interim since August

MOSES LAKE — He's been acting in the position for the last four months, but on Tuesday the interim was taken out of Tom Taylor's title as the head of the Moses Lake Fire Department.

Taylor was appointed Tuesday as the Moses Lake Fire Department Chief by City Manager Joe Gavinski, a department Taylor has been effectively leading since August.

"I'm very pleased with the ability to appoint Tom, I think he'll do a great job as fire chief," Gavinski said.

Under Moses Lake city codes, the city manager appoints the fire chief, and Gavinski selected Taylor from a field of in-house candidates for the position. Gavinski said Tuesday of his appointment of Taylor that he was the most qualified candidate for the position.

"I've got a genuine love for the fire service," Taylor said when asked about his history with the MLFD.

That service is one Taylor has been a part of for more than 15 years. He spent a year as a volunteer before serving eight and a half years on the line as a firefighter for the MLFD. He was later appointed assistant chief, a position he held until Tuesday when his wife Gayle pinned the chief's badge onto his uniform.

Taylor has been wearing both the assistant chief and interim chief hats since former Chief Dave Helms retired in August. Helms retired after serving a quarter-century with the department, the last 10 years as chief.

"Fire service is something you live," Taylor said. "It's not just a job, it's something we truly enjoy, it's a lifestyle."

Taylor said the city and MLFD have many issues to work toward on the horizon, with growth and annexations meaning expanded services for the department. Taylor said the MLFD will work as a department to try and meet the needs of those expanded services.

"We've got a lot of personnel in our department who have some great ideas," Taylor said.

Taylor will continue to wear both the chief's and assistant chief's hats at the department until a new assistant chief is found, and Taylor and Gavinski said the appointment means the city can now accelerate the hiring of an assistant chief.

Members of the city council also welcomed Taylor Tuesday night.

"Welcome aboard," Council-man Dick Deane told Taylor. "And thank you for being a part of our team."