The Centralia Fire Department has a new fire fighter.
Dakota Whritenour was sworn in by City Clerk Kim Enke during a Monday afternoon ceremony.
Fire Chief Jeff Day says Whritenour is filling a recently created position and was tops on the eligibility list.
“With the contract being settled, we’re going to have sixteen, which will hopefully let us cut back on overtime,” Day said. “Dakota was the next one on the new hire list, so he’s the next one to get hired. He was a part-timer, so now there’s going to be a part-timer slot open, too, which we have the process already started for hiring part-time personnel, too. He has all the certifications, so he can go straight to work.”
Whritenour is looking forward to the fulltime position.
“I’ve been a part-timer with the city for about a year now, and before that I was with the Centralia Fire Protection District for about ten years,” Whritenour said. “I’m looking forward to coming back, being full-time and having a career with the city of Centralia.”
The City of Centralia is currently reviewing applications to replace Day as chief when he retires at the end of March after 30 years of service.
Firefighter Dakota Whritenour with his family at Centralia City Hall. Photo by Pat Hodges.
