It is with great enthusiasm that I share my support for Brigitte Schran Brown for Vashon fire commissioner.  I have worked with Brigitte for several years now responding to emergency calls and have found her to be remarkably compassionate and competent in her medicine and patient care, and I have developed a profound respect for her skills.

But that is not the reason I think she will make a great commissioner.  I think she will make a great fire commissioner because she has demonstrated an unparalleled passion for the department and the people who are a part of it.  Not only does she work her scheduled volunteer shifts, but when we have many calls going on and there is no one else to respond, Brigitte shows up and saves the day.

When we realized that our air packs (SCBAs) were expired and needed replacing (without the money in the budget), Brigitte stepped up, wrote a grant application and secured over $300,000 to make sure that our firefighters had the necessary equipment to do our jobs.

She has recognized internal morale issues, and as a result has single-handedly taken over the role of department booster by organizing our awards banquets and holiday events to be more inclusive and fun, and the result has been greater participation and stronger ties between members.

She has also been participating in the Strategic Planning Committee (SPOT team) looking at the department’s big picture and future challenges.  This makes her a uniquely qualified candidate in that she is well versed in the operations of the organization from the ground level (in the field) as well as the commission (visionary) level.

Finally, she is a great communicator with excellent ethics, who will say exactly what she thinks and believes even if it is unpopular.

Whether you are member of the department or a member of the community, as fire commissioner, Brigitte has all of our backs!

— Jason Everett