Meet the candidates for Longview fire chief Wednesday

Authorities have been searching for a new chief since Jim Kambeitz retired in November. Fire Chief Jon Dunaway has served as interim fire chief since then.

The meeting will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Fire Station 81, 740 Commerce Ave., Longview, according to a city news release.

The city held another meeting in April, but did not select any of those candidates.

Current candidates, Orcas Island Fire Chief Holly vanSchaick and former Las Vegas battalion chief Brad Hannig, are expected to introduce themselves at the start of the meeting, and community members will be able to ask questions.

Candidates’ comments may be incorporated into the selection process, the press release states.

The city reports that vanSchaick has more than two decades of experience, having started as a volunteer firefighter in 2007. In 2010, she became the first professional female firefighter paramedic in Sunnyside, Washington.

She also holds professional certifications in fire science, health and safety, and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in fire management.

Hannig has been a firefighter for 31 years, serving as a battalion chief with Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and establishing a new fire station in Logan, Utah.

He is also the former second vice president of the Utah State Fire Chiefs Association and vice president of the Utah Joint Fire Council Caucus. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fire administration and is pursuing his master’s degree in occupational safety and health, the city reports.