Nearly every day, Mark Frey goes to work at a nondescript Fruitvale Avenue building.
Despite being the longest-serving city employee, the 63-year-old isn’t as well-known as others largely because of his humble personality and his role behind the scenes.
But that doesn’t mean the Yakima native’s absence wouldn’t be noticed immediately.
Frey is the city’s head fire mechanic, one of only a handful of certified emergency vehicle technicians in the area. That means it’s up to him to keep each of the city’s 47 fire vehicles as well breathing equipment used by firefighters and other tools in prime condition.
Without him, structures or even lives could be lost.
“For these to break down in route (to a fire), someone’s life is in danger,” Frey said.