When Kyle Fisher first stepped into a Snohomish County fire station in 1990, he wasn’t looking for a job as a firefighter. He was interested in philanthropic opportunities to serve his community.

Something about fire service caught his interest, however, and he signed on as a volunteer firefighter.

After five years as a volunteer, Snohomish County Fire District 7 hired him as a full-time firefighter in 1995. In 1996, he began working for the legacy Auburn Fire Department, now the Valley Regional Fire Authority.

After 27 years here, Fisher retired in late November 2023.

And he’s already missed.

“Kyle has made a profound impact, first with the legacy Auburn Fire Department and then the Valley Regional Fire Authority,” said Deputy Chief Rick Olson. “It is impossible to quantify the influence that he has had. Kyle made a career of ensuring that he made the people around him better at all ranks.”

Fisher has a long history of contributing to the overall success of his co-workers and the organization. He began working as a medical program specialist early in his career, teaching skills to his fellow emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and assisting in the development of medical protocols and best practices. Fisher served in this capacity for over 20 years, teaching classes up until his retirement date.

Fisher was a Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) member for 20 years, which involved tutoring, testing and setting the foundation for nearly every firefighter now working at the VRFA. He was also instrumental in developing and implementing the VRFA’s current wildland fire program. He obtained his Red Card certification and spent several summers fighting fires along the West Coast.

At the beginning of the pandemic, when much was unknown about COVID-19, Fisher jumped in to find a way to serve sick patients while protecting EMTs through a specially-equipped medical aid unit.

“I like to be in the middle of chaos and find ways to work through the challenges,” Fisher replied when asked about this.

Fisher has taken on many challenges in his career and has no plans to slow down in retirement. He is a city council member in his hometown and will continue to do that, as well as spend more time with his family.

“Simply put, Kyle excelled as a problem solver. Whether assisting a community member or a colleague, he did so with grace and humility. We’ll miss Kyle, but we’ll also cherish his exemplary leadership,” said Fire Chief Brad Thompson.