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Mark Kirko Hired as Homer's New Fire Chief
The City of Homer is pleased to welcome Mark Kirko as the new Fire Chief for the Homer Volunteer Fire Department.
Mr. Kirko currently serves as Fire Chief/CEO for North Whidbey Fire & Rescue in Oak Harbor, Washington where his duties on Whidbey Island include supervising six career staff and seventy-six part time and on-call volunteer firefighters and EMS providers. He brings 34 years of experience in fire service to the position, with twenty-five of those years in Alaska.
Mr. Kirko started his fire service working twenty years with the Cordova Volunteer Fire Department. Beginning as a volunteer, he advanced through lieutenant and training officer positions to Fire Chief. He then served five years as Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the Skagway Fire Department until the need to be near elderly parents took Mr. Kirko and his wife to Vermont where he served six years as Fire Chief at the Windsor Fire Department.
The City conducts a lengthy hiring process that includes written responses to questions, two interviews, meetings with career staff, officers, and the volunteer membership, including instructing a section on an emergency service subject.
According to Interim Fire Chief Robert Purcell, Mr. Kirko stood out among the 46 candidates as a great fit for our fire department and our community. “Mr. Kirko is very experienced in all aspects of Fire Service and will be a great leader for our Fire Department personnel. He is an excellent leader and communicator whose passion and integrity will engage our staff and volunteers and the community in providing the high quality of emergency services required to protect our community and residents.”
Eager to return home to Alaska, Mr. Kirko and his wife are excited for the opportunity to work in Homer. “During my recent visit, I felt overwhelmingly at home. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and was impressed with the Fire Department and the rest of the facilities of the City. Mostly though, I enjoyed talking with the people. The Fire Department and City staff were friendly, knowledgeable and very professional. It is obvious that the residents care deeply for and take great pride in their community. My wife, Jodi, and I cannot wait to get there and establish roots in the community.”
Mr. Kirko and his wife plan to relocate to Homer in July.
