Spokane Valley Fire Commission, position 1
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick W. Burch | 14,267 | 54.13% |
| Bradley Mertens | 12,090 | 45.87% |
* 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.
About the Race
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.
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.