Oak Harbor has found its new fire chief.

Travis Anderson, with 27 years beneath his belt, comes from the North Las Vegas Fire Department, where he served as the deputy chief. He also served as executive chief officer, overseeing operations and strategies.

Anderson brings with him a wide array of experience, working as a task force leader for NV-TF1, a FEMA disaster response team, and as an adjunct professor of emergency services education for Columbia Southern University.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in fire administration and a master’s degree in public administration and certificates from an executive fire officer program and emergency management advanced academy.

Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah and a father of three, Anderson spends his time outside.

“My passion is really just being in the outdoors,” he said. “Hiking, biking, fishing, paddleboarding, really anything on the water, which was kind of bringing me up to Whidbey at this point in my career.”

Councilmember Jim Woessner, who took part in the interview process, said he was very impressed with Anderson.

In 2011, North Las Vegas was on the brink of bankruptcy following the Great Recession, facing high unemployment and foreclosures, budget deficits and debt and credit problems, which ultimately led to state intervention. Anderson was there at the time and did great things for the department, Woessner said.

Both candidates for chief were excellent, Woessner said, proving that highly qualified individuals from large departments seek out Whidbey for the quality of life.

“We are excited about the leadership experience and energy that Travis is bringing to the department and city,” said Mayor Ronnie Wright in a press release. “He will be an asset to our community.”

Anderson comes at a pivotal moment for the Oak Harbor Fire Department.

He was maxed out for growth in North Las Vegas, Woessner said, whereas the department here is only expanding. The new fire station will begin a shift from paid on-call firefighters to a fulltime force. Anderson will lead this transition, training full-time firefighters and essentially building a new department.

“That’s a big thing,” Woessner said. “When I first came to Oak Harbor the fire department was 100% volunteer.”

The North Las Vegas Fire Department is over ten times the size of the Oak Harbor department, Anderson said, and he’s worked every step of the ladder.

“I’ve held every rank, because I’ve moved up the organization there: firefighter, paramedic, engineer, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief and acting fire chief.”

With each promotion came more bureaucracy and paperwork, he said. Serving as Las Vegas’ emergency manager, he worked with federal and state officials. In Oak Harbor, he’s looking to get back into the reason he fell in love with the job: teaching firefighters, developing tactics and mentoring as the role of the firefighter in the city changes.

“Our whole existence is to serve the community,” he said. “I’m super excited to learn more about the community and what they value and what they want in an organization as well and hopefully make a better Oak Harbor Fire Department than it is today.”

Anderson will officially take over as chief on August 12. He replaces former chief Ray Merrill, who was terminated earlier this year by the mayor.