Mayor Nancy Backus is joined this episode by Valley Regional Fire Authority Chief Brad Thompson! Why is he on the show today? Because we want to talk about fire safety, fire preparedness, and fill you in on some of the recent happenings at the fire authority, which services Auburn in addition to Algona and Pacific.

Chief Thompson began his firefighting career in 1999, at the then-Auburn Fire Department. Since that time, he's worked his way through the ranks, gaining experience in nearly every facet of the fire service – from public education to technical rescue to planning and logistics. He was appointed Fire Chief in 2021, and brings with him not only a deep understanding of our local communities, but also a strong focus on collaboration, communication, and innovation.

He's here today to share some insights, offer some practical tips to keep you and your family safe, and give us a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible work being done by the VRFA.

Hello and welcome to episode six of our third season of That's So Auburn! In this episode we're joined by two guests in our City of Auburn Emergency Management division, brand new Emergency Manager Matthew Colpitts and Emergency Management Coordinator Tyler Turner.

Matthew is just a few weeks into the job, having joined us July 1, but he brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his over 20 years of experience in emergency management. He earned his doctorate in 2014, with a dissertation focused on senior leadership's perceptions of emergency management in higher education. Previously, he served as the Emergency Preparedness Manager at the University of Washington Bothell, where he oversaw campus emergency operations, preparedness training, incident response, and recovery efforts. In his free time, Matt enjoys traveling and learning new things. A fun fact about him: he's a proud nerd who still plays Dungeons & Dragons! Which I can't wait to ask him about.

And Tyler has over 15 years of cumulative Emergency Management & Emergency Services experience. He received his undergrad in Homeland Security & Emergency Management in 2015 from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. He started with the City of Auburn in 2014, and prior to that, worked as a Paramedic throughout the state of Alaska, including remote areas on the North Slope and on offshore vessels in the Arctic. Outside of work, Tyler enjoys spending time with his Wife, Molly, and two Daughters, Emersyn & Maisie.

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Hello and welcome to episode four of our third season of That's So Auburn! I'm Nancy Backus, Mayor of the City of Auburn, and today I'm joined by two guests, Interim Events Supervisor Kristy Pachciarz and Events Coordinator Amanda Valdez! They're the brainpower behind many of our events organized by our Parks, Arts and Recreation department, such as Veterans Parade, Petpalooza, KidsDay, Lighted Santa Parade and of course, the Auburn Farmers Market.

Kristy has been with the City of Auburn since 2006. It wasn't long after she joined our ranks that she created Petpalooza, one of the premiere pet-related events in South King County, let alone the State of Washington. She's also had a hand in creating half a dozen others, like Daddy Daughter Date Night and Peter Cotton Trail.

She organizes the Veterans Parade each and every year, alongside a handful of other major events, so she's quite busy just about every day of the year.

Amanda joined the City of Auburn in 2015 and since becoming a coordinator in 2016, has overseen the Auburn Farmers Market each and every summer. She's helped shepherd the market into a premiere shopping experience for our Auburn residents and visitors, bringing fresh produce, craft-made items, delicious sweets and more to thousands of our patrons. She also oversees our Lighted Santa Parade, one of my favorite events of the year. I just love seeing all of the people march down to City Hall and stand in awe as our tree lighter flips the switch.

Give us a listen and don't forget to like, share and subscribe!