Bellevue Battalion Chief Retires After 38 Years Of Service

BELLEVUE, WA — After 38 years of service to the Bellevue Fire Department and the community, Battalion Chief Chuck Heitz has officially retired. According to his colleagues, he was a highly valued member of the department who took pride in serving his community.

"Chuck truly cared for the community he served as well as the firefighters he worked with. He was a member of our Peer Support Team for at least 15 years, always placing the mental health and well-being of his coworkers as a top priority," the fire department said in a news release posted to Facebook. "In the stations, he had a reputation for being humble and fun, and on incidents for remaining calm and compassionate. Though Chuck was deeply admired and respected, having once been voted by his peers as 'Firefighter of the Year,' he says he drew his inspiration from others. He has always been impressed by seeing how much those around him cared about the mission and always wanted to do their best work."

Hired in 1983, Heitz held a variety of assignments as a firefighter before becoming part of Paramedic Class 15 in 1989. According to the fire department, he excelled in the rigorous University of Washington/Harborview training program and in subsequent years as a firefighter paramedic before promoting to lieutenant in 2000.

As a lieutenant, Heitz spent nine years as an engine company officer at Fire Station 9 in addition to serving in administrative positions in the fire department's training division and emergency medical services division. He also filled the role of lieutenant medical services officer before being promoted to the rank of captain in 2008. A captain for the next nine years, he again served in the EMS division and as a captain MSO.

Heitz achieved the rank of battalion chief in 2017, serving as the C Platoon commander for close to four years and then finishing as career as the commander of the EMS division, according to the fire department.

His colleagues said that one of Heitz's greatest passions during his career was imparting his experience and knowledge to others, his students ranging from those hoping to become firefighters or those who were newly hired all the way to our most seasoned veterans. Internally, he volunteered his talents during three separate fire academies, was an instructor to keep our department members current on their emergency medical technician skills and assisted his department's office of emergency management teaching community emergency response team classes to residents.

He also served as an EMT instructor for King County EMS for nearly 20 years.

"Chuck, your talent and devotion will be greatly missed - may your retirement be filled with joyous time spent with family and friends, and may your fishing lines be tight," the department said.