At long last, Luke Carpenter is pager-less and sleeping in.
Until about 4:30 a.m., even.
That’s pretty late by his standards, though one of his immediate goals is, understandably, to improve that situation. But relaxation takes practice and while he’s an expert at many things, the ability to chill out remains a glaring omission on the man’s otherwise impressive curriculum vitae.
The longtime Bainbridge Island Fire Department assistant chief and fire marshal celebrated his imminent retirement this week (his last official day on the job is May 1, though his final day at work was April 9), capping a 29-year career in the fire service which saw him battling blazes on both the East and West coasts and rising from the volunteer ranks to become a renowned authority figure.