New leader

Mike Thompson wasn’t a typical boy who dreamed of becoming a firefighter or a policeman when he grew up. The desire to be a firefighter came when he was in his early 20s. Thompson was finishing a four-year tour with the Marine Corps in 1970 when a relative suggested he think about fire service as a career.

Thompson, now 57 and with more than 30 years of firefighting experience, became the Spokane Valley Fire Department chief in late February.

Thompson moved here in 2003 after he retired as chief administrative officer in Culver City, Calif. He wanted to be near his dad, who was alone after Thompson’s mother and brother died in the late 1990s.

“I was at a point where I could retire even though I wasn’t ready,” Thompson said of leaving Culver City. “And it was important to be here with my dad. I just figured it was the right thing to do.”

It wasn’t long after Thompson arrived that he started looking for ways to get back into the fire service. Eighteen months later he was hired as fire chief. “I feel very fortunate to be here,” Thompson said. “There was some good competition.”

He was chosen among 52 applicants for the job to replace retiring Chief Mark Grover.

Thompson credits his Uncle Wayne, who was a battalion chief in Wichita, Kan., in 1970 for his start in the fire service. His uncle told him once he’d completed the training to be a firefighter, he could probably be hired in Wichita, which is where Thompson grew up.

Thompson said the Marine Corps had a transition program that helped military members decide what career path to follow once they were discharged and firefighting was one of them.

“They put me in the base fire department and I got some exposure there,” he said. “I got out of the Marine Corps in November 1970, and in January 1971, I noticed they were going through a hiring process in El Cajon, Calif., and I was selected.

“It’s been a great profession. I like the work. I like the people, and I’ve just always liked everything about it.”

Thompson worked at the El Cajon Fire Department for 16 years then was hired by the Salinas, Calif., fire department, where he had his most memorable experience as a firefighter – an earthquake.

“I was walking out of the public safety building when I felt a small rumble and thought that it would end shortly,” Thompson said. Then he saw the lawn in front of the building curl up into a wave and start rolling.

It was the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which killed more than 60 people, injured thousands and caused billions of dollars in damage. People were left without power, water and other necessities for several days.

“Physically and emotionally that was the toughest challenge I faced as a firefighter,” Thompson said. “It was about nonstop. Other areas nearby were having the same problems so we couldn’t get any help.”

Thompson was operations chief in Salinas during the earthquake where his fire department provided services for a 70-square-mile area and about 80,000 people.

“I got one or two hours of sleep at a time,” he said. “We didn’t have power for four days. The state activated the military to bring in water supplies. The American Red Cross brought in food. The supplies had to be brought in from the outside because there was nothing available locally.

“It was chaotic. People were impacted so emotionally they were almost numb and didn’t know how to take care of themselves and became more dependent on emergency services to care of them for the first few days.”

Firefighters depended on one another to get through that tough time, he said.

Thompson left Salinas in 1990 and went to Grand Junction, Colo., for five years, as fire chief where he received the Colorado Fire Service Leadership Award from the state’s governor in 1994. In 1995, he went to Culver City, where he was fire chief for six years, then chief administrative officer of the city for two years.

Culver City’s current fire chief, Jeff Eastman, said Thompson helped the department make great strides by improving ambulance services and earning the top accreditation a fire department can achieve.

“He was very proactive and wanted to keep us on the forefront,” Eastman said. “He was always willing to try anything new and see if it worked out. He really wanted to keep us on the cutting edge.”

Eastman said Thompson’s training as a Marine came through in his leadership as fire chief.

“He was hard-charging,” Eastman said. “Everything had its place. He was orderly, very formal and businesslike.”

While Thompson was head of Culver City’s fire department, he was selected 2002 California Fire Chief of the Year.

Thompson says perhaps the most treasured aspect of the fire service, other than helping people, is the people with whom he works. He says no matter where he’s been, the personalities of those in the fire service business have been consistent.

“They like to work in teams, are physically active, family oriented, caring, giving, have competitive natures and enjoy challenges,” Thompson said.

He described a recent event to emphasize his point about firefighters’ caring nature.

Recently a group of firefighters helped a woman stranded at the side of the road change a flat tire on her car.

“It’s that kind of thing that they do and enjoy doing.”

Thompson said he’s proud to be the head of Spokane Valley Fire Department, which includes 10 stations with about 150 firefighter/paramedics that provide services to a 78-square-mile area and more than 120,000 people. The job pays $120,000 a year.

“I knew this was a good department coming in, but it’s far better than I ever expected,” he said. “The health of the organization is exceptional.”

Thompson said he doesn’t have any changes planned for the fire department at this point. He’s still assessing what needs to be done by talking to firefighters and paramedics.

“I’m very fortunate and glad to be here. I’d put this department up against any of the departments I worked with in California.”