Fire District EMT: Duane Schwatke

ROYAL CITY - Duane Schwatke has been a part of Grant County Fire Districts Nos. 10/11 for about a year. He came to Royal City with experience, having been a volunteer with King County Fire District No. 11 for four years and an Emergency Medical Technician for three.

Schwatke faced some "culture shock" with the move from the Seattle area, mostly a change in policies and procedures.

In King County, District No. 11 personnel were half volunteers and half paid firefighters. One had to be a volunteer for two years before being allowed to apply for a paid position.

"The rapport was very good between the paid staff and the volunteers, since everyone had once been a volunteer," Schwatke said.

Schwatke is a general contractor who works part time as a substitute teacher for the Warden School District in the middle school and high school.

"I joined the fire district because I was told there was a need," he said. "I missed being involved with a fire department. Being part of the fire department is about helping your community."

"The volunteers on the ambulance and fire trucks should mirror the make-up of the community," Schwatke added. "We need more Spanish speakers. They are the segment of the community we are missing from the fire department."

There are a handful of Hispanic volunteers with Grant County Fire Districts Nos. 10/11. A couple of years ago one of these, Santiago "Chago" Villafana was voted Firefighter of the Year, by the other volunteers. Many more are needed.

Schwatke would like to see more diversity among the volunteers.

"Everyone has a special talent or skill that would help." he said.

Looking to the future, Schwatke would like to see more people involved.

"We need to figure out how to educate the community for what is needed," he said. "A big help would be to have more business owners involved on the ambulance and on the fire trucks."

Schwatke wondered what it would take to put together a cadet firefighter/EMT program, possibly based from the high school.

"Then with age and training, the cadets would already know what it takes to do what we do," he said.