Long time Woodinville Fire & Rescue Fire Chief Steve Smith died peacefully on Saturday, December 3 after an illness that was discovered earlier in the summer of 2016. He was 67. Chief Smith retired in 2005 after a 38 year-long career in the fire service. Smith started his career as volunteer firefighter in King County Fire District 40 near Renton. In 1978, Smith was hired as a firefighter at Fire District 40 and quickly began moving up through the ranks to Battalion Chief in 1988 before accepting the position of Deputy Fire Chief at Woodinville Fire. He served in that role until assuming the Fire Chief responsibilities in September of 1996.