Orcas Island Fire and Rescue Chief Mik Preysz was confirmed as official Fire and Rescue Chief by the OIFR Board of Commissioners on November 19 (retroactive to October 16) after a six-month period as Interim Chief following the resignation of former Chief Kevin O'Brien last spring.
A career Deputy Sheriff, Firefighter, and Paramedic for nearly 39 years, Preysz has refined his leadership in those roles. Now in place at the helm of Orcas Fire and Rescue, he explains the recent streamlining of the department's command structure and his plans to engage the community in a "new and different" Strategic Planning process.
Overall, his administration is determined to "give back the Fire Department to its members so they have more input on the direction it takes," Preysz says.
Volunteers in the department now come directly under his administrative leadership, with the Chief Volunteer OIFR Officers (the three Captains — Rita Harvey, Bob Nutt and Jim Schuh) reporting to Preysz's command. Day-to-day requests for service are met by the Duty Officers/Acting Deputy Chiefs, Scott Williams and Bryce Hamilton, and Duty Officer/Battalion Chiefs, Patrick Shepler, and Nick Kiniski. While in the act of responding on calls, Orcas Fire and Rescue is functioning in a direct chain of command outlined by rank, irrespective of volunteer or staff members. This is a necessity to ensure safety, communication, experience, and efficiency in handling emergencies for the community. Beyond that, all four of these individuals perform additional administrative duties when they are not called to service responses as well as when they are not on duty. In other words, they each have dedicated administrative duties when not on shift.
"I expect all officers in the department to make the most efficient use of their time. The officer , will tap into our member's thoughts and ideas, our brain trust, in helping determine the Standard Operational Procedures and Guidelines that need be changed, modified, deleted, and/or developed, as the department grows to meet the ever-changing needs of the community.