Tommy LaPonsey announced his candidacy for fire commissioner for the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue District in the Nov. 7 election.

LaPonsey retired as a fire captain after a 30-year career as a fire and emergency medical services professional and he is looking forward to serving the community in this new role, said a news release announcing his candidacy.

“This fire district’s staff, starting with Fire Chief Christopher Way, run an effective department," LaPonsey said in the announcement. "But within the board of commissioners there’s room for improvement. It’s important for the board to include commissioners like me with decades of relevant experience. This experience better informs decisions across the board including budgeting, major capital projects and union negotiations."

As a fire commissioner, LaPonsey said he will focus on a few key priorities, one being fire prevention.

"I will work diligently to initiate a prevention awareness program, while continuing the fire district’s free property assessments,” he said in the release.

LaPonsey said he also plans to partner with regional forest and land management agencies to improve wildfire mitigation measures. Another priority will be maintaining excellent service levels in the face of rapid population growth.

“I will press for staffing and equipment to scale up responsibly over time,” LaPonsey said. In doing so, he will rely on experience in fire district planning from his decadeslong fire and EMS career.

Another priority will be increasing transparency of fire district operations and expenditures.

“The fire district has several impressive multi-million-dollar capital improvement projects underway for which little information is readily available to the public," he said in the announcement. "I will bring transparency by ensuring project information and videos of all public board meetings are posted to the fire district’s website."

LaPonsey said he is optimistic the fire district has a bright future.

“I look forward to serving the people of Kootenai County and improving safety for all residents,” he said.

LaPonsey began his firefighting career as a volunteer EMT firefighter for a small city. He later joined the Santa Monica, Calif., Fire Department working as a paramedic, hazardous materials specialist, rescue systems specialist and disaster preparation instructor. He is certified as a fire officer, chief officer, fire boss in wildland firefighting, strike team leader and first aid CPR instructor. He lives in Coeur d’Alene with Kate, his wife of 29 years, and their three children. He is currently a community service officer for Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.