Spokane Valley Fire Department Commission, position 1
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick W. Burch | 7,777 | 41.48% |
| Bradley Mertens | 6,232 | 33.24% |
| Randall Bean | 4,739 | 25.28% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
The Candidates
Patrick W. Burch
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from Anaconda (Mont.) High School, 1981. Earned bachelor’s degree at Eastern Washington University in information systems and operations management and completed a Master of Business Administration at Washington State University.
Work experience: Co-owner and business manager of Neurotherapy Northwest. Former vice president of operations at MediServ, a medical billing company. Former financial controller for Boeing Airborn Warning and Control System airplanes, and former industrial engineer for the 757 Final Assembly Division. Served in Navy Reserve for eight years, working on nuclear-powered submarines.
Political experience: Appointed to the Spokane Valley Fire Department board in 2016. Volunteer member of department’s Community Emergency Response Team team in 2008. Served as team leader of Fire Corps, a volunteer group.
Family: Married and has two children.
Bradley Mertens
- Age:
- 44
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from West Valley High School in 1999. Obtained associate degree in fluid power from Spokane Community College. Obtained paramedic associate degree in paramedic medicine from Prince George’s Community College in Maryland.
Career experience: Currently a paramedic and firefighter for Spokane County Fire District 8, but has worked as an emergency responder at several fire departments around the country since 2001.Most of his job changes were due to his wife's career in the U.S. Army. Before working as an emergency responder, he worked as an account manager for a company that made equipment to make computer processing chips.
Political experience: First-time candidate.
Family: Married and has one daughter.
Randall Bean
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from Deer Park High school in 1983. Graduated with a paramedic certification from Spokane Community College.
Work experience: Spent 20 years as a paramedic for Spokane County Fire District 4, which covers Deer Park; worked for American Medical Response for 24 years; and spent two years as a Life Flight paramedic from 2016 to 2018 in Spokane, Brewster and Moses Lake. Served in the Navy for two years.
Political experience: Served on the Deer Park City Council from 2003 to 2011. Was a member of the Spokane County EMS Council for three years and a member of the Deer Park Ambulance Board for 10 years.
Family: Married with a blended family of 13 children and nine grandchildren.
Complete Coverage
Spokane Valley fire commissioner candidates clash over communication, fire commissioner leadership
Candidate for the Spokane Valley Fire Commission Bradley Mertens said he hopes to improve communication and work with unions, while incumbent Patrick Burch said a fire commissioner’s first responsibility is to taxpayers, not unions.
Spokane Valley fire commissioner tries to fend off two challengers for seat
A one-term incumbent Spokane Valley Fire commissioner is hoping to retain his seat, as a former city councilman and a first-time candidate challenge him.