Zayante Fire Protection District Chief John Stipes’ retirement will be official as of Friday evening, after more than 27 years of serving the Zayante, Lompico and Olympia communities.
Stipes, 59, first started out with Zayante Fire in 1994 as a volunteer firefighter. Just two years later he was promoted to captain and in 1999 was named battalion chief.
After more than 27 years of service to the Zayante Fire Protection District, John Stipes will hang up his helmet for the final time Friday, July 23, 2021. (Contributed photo — Zayante Fire Protection District)
He held that position for 10 years before becoming fire chief in 2010. In that role, Stipes administered the passage of Measure O, which allowed the Zayante Fire to fully staff the district five days a week. “It’s been an honor to serve the community I live in. Not a lot of firefighters get to do that their whole careers,” Stipes said. “I’ve been able to see Zayante (Fire) evolve into an all-risk department capable of handling a lot more than just fire.”