New Warden fire chief receives lifetime award

WARDEN - Randy Wiggins still finds himself heading over to Warden High School once a week.

Even though he retired in July 2007, Wiggins still plans to help out with the football program in some capacity.

"I can't quit that cold turkey," he said. "Not after 31 years."

In December, Wiggins received the National Association of Agricultural Educators Lifetime Achievement Award at the association's annual conference in Las Vegas.

"It meant a lot to me because I didn't know anything about it," Wiggins said.

He noted he was nominated by a fellow agriculture teacher, Scott Mortimer of Wilson Creek, and Wiggins' partner in teaching, Shanna Golladay, at Warden High School.

"They were in cahoots together," he said. "So it's a real honor. I was surprised. I felt humble, to tell you the truth. It kind of hit me when I was on the stage in Las Vegas. It was quite a humbling experience, hearing all they said. It was a real honor."

The teaching position at Warden High School was Wiggins' "first teaching job and last teaching job." He started in August 1977 and retired in July after 30 years.

Wiggins said he and his family decided to remain in Warden because it's where their church is and where they raised their family.

Wiggins taught animal science, wood and metal shop, wildlife, crop production and general science classes at the high school.

He grew up in the Palouse country, he said, and his agriculture teacher suggested the career path to him. So he went to Wenatchee Valley College for two years, then transferred to Washington State University. After he graduated, he did his student teaching in Dayton.

"Between my ag teacher and the ag teacher I student taught under, they were two of the most respected ag teachers in the state," Wiggins said. "So they helped me immensely. That wasn't a wrong choice at all. Ag teaching never felt like work at all."

He also coached football in middle school or high school for 31 years, retiring after the last season.

"It's pretty ironic - we had four big coaches and three volunteer coaches, and I had coached every one of them, had them all as students," Wiggins said with a chuckle. "And a former student of mine took my place. So I have two former students teaching ag at the high school."

Wiggins steps in as Grant County Fire District No. 4 fire chief after current Chief Bob Whitaker retires at the end of January. He has been a volunteer for the district for nearly 29 years, working as training captain for the last 16 years.

"This worked out; our chief was retiring at the end of January and I applied for the chief job, got the chief job and there wasn't any reason to move," Wiggins said. "We love it here."

The position had opened up prior to Wiggins' decision to retire, so he could let the school district know before he retired.

Wiggins was on Plan 1, so he was able to retire at 30 years and he knew the chief position was coming up, so he felt it was a perfect fit.

"I think the appeal is that it's such an honorable job and you're doing something for your community," he said. "It's almost like a hobby, being a volunteer, and the good we can do for the community besides the emergency medical services and the fire stuff, helping out with scholarships, Little League programs and things like that. It's definitely benefited my family."

"I can't imagine anyone better," Whitaker said.

Wiggins said the district works its training around education and accountability and a new station is being built, so getting equipment and recruiting people to man it is going to be a priority.

He hopes to continue the work Whitaker has started in his five years in the position, and plans to apply for grants through the Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Homeland Security.

Wiggins does not plan any further form of agriculture education, but he does intend to keep up his work as a professional livestock judge. Last year, he judged 11 different shows in the summer, but already he has plans to judge at shows in Ellensburg, Colfax and in Alaska this year.

"So I keep involved that way, with the livestock, and then I'm the vice president of the North Central Junior Livestock Show," he said, noting he's also involved in a national pork quality assurance program with the National Pork Board.

Wiggins pointed to the Warden community's support of such programs as the high school agriculture program, the FFA and 4-H.

"It never even entered our mind to move," he said. "This was a perfect fit, this was an opportunity to stay in this community we're so proud of, and give something back."