Scott Casebolt runs unopposed for FD 5 board of commissioners

Tacoma FD lieutenant has 33 years experience

Nate Hulings

of the Gateway

Scott Casebolt, the current chair of the Pierce County Fire District 5 board of commissioners, is running unopposed for another six-year term this November.

Casebolt was appointed to the board four years ago when the number of commissioners was expanded. The current Tacoma Fire Department lieutenant has spent 33 years as a firefighter/paramedic and said his background is one of his main reasons for running.

“This seemed like a good opportunity to utilize my background and do some good,” Casebolt said.

Casebolt is an advocate of giving back to the community. He currently is on the board of directors for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chaplaincy and has previously volunteered with the Gig Harbor Optimist Club and the Make a Wish Foundation.

Casebolt said he wonders how much better the country would be if everyone donated 10 hours a year to helping others. He said volunteerism is a great way to fill the gaps in society, especially during tough economic times.

“There are so many things the government is expected to do that it simply can’t do with the budget restraints,” Casebolt said.

Casebolt added that he’s always been interested in the administrative end of fire departments. He even went back to college to obtain a business management degree.

“My experience in the fire service and having been a responder has been an asset to the board,” he said.

In the past four years, Casebolt said he’s seen an improved working relationship between commissioners and fire district staff.

“Things have improved greatly to solve problems,” he said.

Since he began his term, Casebolt said the board has worked to improve safety and service levels to the community. Full-time staffing at the Point Fosdick station and next year’s planned full-time staffing of the 144th Street station will help in continued efforts to lower response times, he said.

Casebolt also thinks Gig Harbor has some of the best service in the area.

The largest project currently on the district’s radar is a proposed training facility that would be beneficial to local firefighters, he said.

“The guys are good about training every day but don’t have realistic props and buildings they can utilize,” Casebolt said.

Casebolt and his wife, JoAnn, have been married for 27 years and have two grown daughters.

He recently began to learn how to play the bagpipes, and he joined the Pierce County Firefighter Pipes and Drums. The fairly new group recently played at a Tacoma Rainiers event.

“We can play and we can march, but we can’t do both at the same time,” Casebolt said.