Fire District 1 has promoted five new captains for stations around the Lynnwood area. (Fire District 1 provides fire service in the unincorporated parts of Lynnwood and sometimes assists Lynnwood firefighters.)

John Dowling assigned to Mountlake Terrace Fire Station 19. Dowling was raised in Lynnwood and started his fire service career there in 1999 as a volunteer with the Lynnwood Fire Department. He was hired by the Edmonds Fire Department in 2002 and worked most of his career at Esperance Fire Station 20. He transferred to Fire District 1 last year as part of a department consolidation. Dowling is a rescue technician and has a bachelor’s degree from New Mexico State University in business administration.

Thad Hovis assigned to Hilltop Fire Station 22 east of Lynnwood. Hovis started his career as a volunteer with the Edmonds Fire Department in 1995. He was hired by Mountlake Terrace as a full-time firefighter the following year and transferred to Fire District 1 as part of a department consolidation in 2005. Hovis is a 1989 graduate of Edmonds High School. He earned his associate’s degree in fire science from Bellevue Community College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in health and safety from the National Labor College. Hovis serves as vice president of Local 1828 International Association of Fire Fighters.

Jason Isotalo assigned to Hilltop Fire Station 22. Isotalo graduated from the Central Washington University paramedic program in 1996 and started his career with the Ellensburg Fire Department in 1997. He was hired by Fire District 1 in 1999. Isotalo served as a long-term acting captain for more than four years and assisted with district’s infection control program. Isotalo has also served as an instructor at the Washington State Fire Training Academy.

Don Welch assigned to Mariner Fire Station 11 south of Everett. He began his career with the Lake Stevens Fire Department and was hired by Fire District 1 in 1998. The 1991 graduate of Lake Stevens High School is also an instructor for the Everett Community College firefighting program and the Washington State Fire Training Academy.

David Wells assigned to Lake Serene Fire Station 23 north of Lynnwood. He was hired by Fire District 1 in 2003 after working as a medic at Fort Lewis and on the East Coast. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at Gordon College in Massachusetts and completed his paramedic training at Tacoma Community College. Wells is also a rescue technician.

Captains are responsible for supervising shift personnel at the fire station level – overseeing a crew of three to five firefighters