MUKILTEO — Chris Alexander, who has more than 30 years of experience in emergency medical and fire services, is the city’s new fire chief.
Alexander, 51, has served as the chief at San Marcos Hays County emergency medical service in Texas. Alexander has held that job for two years.
He spent the previous 20 years in Kansas City, where he worked as an emergency medical services director. Prior to that he worked for a private ambulance service in there.
Alexander is to begin his new job March 30 and will be paid an annual salary of $104,267. He takes over a job held on an interim basis since September by Marcus Kragness, who previously was chief of the Shoreline Fire Department.
Alexander said both Mukilteo’s fire department and the city have “a lot of heart and spirit and a desire to take care of the community.”
He said Mayor Jennifer Gregerson feels that the fire department has done great things with prevention but needs to get more involved with health promotion. “We’d like to help them know how to take care of themselves so they don’t require our services,” he said of residents.
Alexander earned undergraduate degree in management and human relations and a master’s degree in business administration from MidAmerican Nazerene University in Olathe, Kansas. He also is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy.
Alexander was in an initial pool of 46 applicants for the Mukilteo job. He was selected after a final interview by Gregerson and Chris Phillips, the city’s management services director. Bob Champion, the City Council president, said he was pleased that the department will soon have a permanent fire chief. “I believe he will be able to serve the city and fire service very well,” Champion said.
Alexander said he decided to apply for the job after making a trip to the Puget Sound area in November. He will be moving to the area with his husband, Mike Hastings, and their 4-year-old twin boys.
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.
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