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closeSheila Hunt seeks six more years on FD 16 board
Incumbent was appointed when board expanded to 5
Nate Hulings
of the Gateway
Sheila Hunt is seeking election for the first time on the Fire District 16 board of commissioners. She’s been a fire commissioner for two years but was appointed to the position when the board expanded from three members to five in 2007.
Hunt is a registered nurse and worked in emergency rooms for 15 years. She also worked on an ambulance and was the manager of Tacoma General’s emergency rooms.
As manager, she was in charge of 120 employees, worked with unions and was responsible for a $64 million budget — a business savvy she said comes in handy as a commissioner.
Hunt also was the Washington state Firefighter of the Year in 1993.
Hunt said her strengths for the position are her background in health care and business.
“We’ve just barely taken off the corner of the iceberg,” she said. “We have so much work to do. It’s time to get down to business.”
Hunt supports the district’s lid lift levy, which is on this month’s primary ballot.
“It is extremely important that the fire department gets funding to continue the level of service we have,” Hunt said.
Hunt said she strongly disagrees with Commissioner Allen Yanity regarding the department’s fitness and drug standards, saying she reviewed the cardiovascular report that compares local fire departments.
“Our boys were stronger, slightly more overweight,” Hunt said. “Granted, they can still do their job. None of these guys are going to go into a burning building with someone that is not going to be able to take them out.”
Hunt also said she has seen no discrepancies with any narcotic use in the department, and she said drug testing at the fire department is more stringent than at MultiCare Health System.
Community involvement also is an essential part of her goals.
Hunt said she wants to work on “repairing our reputation with the public.”
Hunt’s hobbies include equestrian riding with her horse Special Edition, snow skiing, hiking and travel. She’s also getting ready for a month-long trip to Peru to volunteer at a medical clinic.
She currently works in compliance physician documentation, a Medicare watchdog position.
Hunt has two grown children, and she’s lived in Vaughn for 22 years.