City Manager Jessi Bon announced that beginning on Jan. 29, Mercer Island will contract with Eastside Fire & Rescue (EF&R) to provide interim fire chief services to the city.

Her plan for the temporary administration of the Mercer Island Fire Department (MIFD) follows chief Steve Heitman’s departure at the end of January.

After two decades as a member of the MIFD, Heitman will be moving on as the chief of the Renton Regional Fire Authority.

Heitman — who has been the local fire chief since 2014 after serving as deputy fire chief and a firefighter — said he’s leaving Mercer Island to take on a new challenge that will continue to drive him to improve and grow in his career.

The plan includes executive and operational oversight of MIFD and representing the city’s interests regionally. EF&R Fire Chief Jeff Clark will provide direct leadership and administrative support to Mercer Island both remotely and in-person, along with assistance from other EF&R senior staff. The agreement was modeled after other agreements where fire chief services are shared and was formalized on Jan. 28 by unanimous vote (8-0) of the EF&R Board of Directors.

“Our city, and the entire region, is navigating an incredible amount of change,” said Bon. “This arrangement allows us time to thoughtfully assess the future leadership needs of the fire department and also to plan for additional upcoming retirements. Nothing is gained by rushing through a recruitment process and I am thankful for the agreement with EF&R and their willingness to support us during this time.”

Bon added: “Of utmost importance is ensuring the same, excellent level of service our fire department is known for. I have no doubt that we will continue to deliver at the highest levels while working through this transition period with interim support from EF&R until the next fire chief is hired.”

EF&R will deliver interim fire chief services at a cost of $14,000/month, for the duration of the contract, which is less than what was budgeted for the MIFD fire chief position. The arrangement will give the city access to additional capacity and expertise to tackle some of MIFD’s 2021-22 workplan items. These include collective bargaining agreements with the fire union; updating ambulance transport fees; implementing a Medicaid reimbursement program for patient transport; and implementing the Mobile Integrated Health program. Bon will also receive guidance and support in planning for, and filling, the MIFD fire chief vacancy.