As the calendar turns to a fresh year, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) has taken a moment to look back at its achievements and challenges in 2025, with Fire Chief Harold D. Scoggins conveying a New Year's message filled with reflections and gratitude. Scoggins highlighted a series of accomplishments, from deploying members to assist with Los Angeles wildfires to tackling local arson cases in Columbia City, as reported in the December 2025 edition of the Seattle Responder. The chief's message, a blend of sincerity and civic pride, was published last Friday, and can be found on the SFD's bulletin at the Seattle Responder bulletin.
Throughout last year, the department not only brought on fresh talent with seven new firefighter/paramedics through a lateral hiring process, but also graduated an additional seven after nine months of intensive training. Scoggins detailed the steps taken by the SFD to both stabilize and fortify the front lines, recognizing these new hires as a boon to the department's operational capacity, while also mentioning the overwhelming interest shown, with nearly 4,800 firefighter/EMT applications received during the fall recruitment cycle. The growth is coupled with strategic investments in equipment, including the addition of a third rescue watercraft, as well as the procurement of new fitness gear and rescue swimmer wetsuits, thanks to the support of the Seattle Fire Foundation—investments indicative of an ongoing commitment to preparedness and personnel safety.
The year 2025 also delivered somber moments for the SFD, with the community and department mourning the loss of Firefighter/Paramedic Larry Doll, whose unexpected passing reminded all of the inherent risks and close-knit bonds within the firefighting profession. Moreover, Scoggins noted an expanded role in addressing the opioid crisis with innovative approaches like staffing a pop-up clinic for long-acting injectable buprenorphine and fostering collaborations for a recovery center, showcasing the department's adaptability to public health challenges. This proactive stance signals an awareness of the evolving responsibilities that fall under the SFD’s wide purview.
Perhaps most reflective of the department's deeper mission is the initiation of patient reunions, opportunities where those who've come face-to-face with mortality reconnect with the rescuers who stood on the frontline during their personal crises. Scoggins takes pride in these reunions, stressing their role in fortifying the bond between first responders and the community they serve. The chief's message concludes with heartfelt thanks to the Seattleites, for gestures both grand and small, affirming, "We are grateful to you, our community, for the ways that you welcome and support us," a sentiment rooting the SFD's identity in the bedrock of community partnership and mutual appreciation, as noted in the Seattle Responder bulletin.
