Spotlight: New Fire Service program director specializes in truck company and fire ground operations

Bates Technical College recently hired Todd Wernet as Fire Service Director. Wernet brings 35 years of Fire Service background to the college.

Most recently, Wernet served as the emergency preparedness coordinator for The Boeing Company in Seattle. Previously, he was the assistant chief of operations and the interim fire chief for the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCPP) Fire Department on the Central Coast of California.

Wernet worked for 22 years as a firefighter and company officer for several other career, combination, and volunteer fire departments, including Seattle Fire Department.

Also an experienced Fire Service instructor, he specializes in truck company and fire ground operations. Wernet has developed and presented curricula at major fire service training conferences. He has traveled the country to instruct individual fire departments and community colleges, and also firefighters, fire officers and chief officers in current and pressing industry topics in the.

As a lifelong learner, Wernet holds a Master of Business Science in leadership with an emphasis in disaster preparedness and executive fire leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in public service administration from Grand Canyon University (Phoenix, AZ). He received an Associate of Arts in fire officer from Bellevue College, and is a certified California State Chief Fire Officer, California State Fire Marshal.

Wernet, a native to the Puget Sound region, is a church ministry leader and has several family members who are current or retired firefighters, fire officers and emergency responders.

Do you want to keep up to date with the college’s Fire Service program? Check out the Fire Service Facebook page!