South County Fire Chief Bob Eastman has announced his retirement after leading Snohomish County’s largest fire agency since 2024.
“It has been nothing short of a privilege to watch this agency grow into a regional and national leader in emergency services,” Eastman said. “We strive to deliver exceptional care to our community while remaining accountable to our taxpayers. That work is only possible because of South County Fire’s greatest asset – our people.”
The regional fire authority serves nearly 300,000 residents in Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace and unincorporated southwest Snohomish County.
Eastman will officially step down from his duties as fire chief on February 1 and will remain in the organization until June 30 to assist with the transition.
The board of commissioners has selected Assistant Chief Shaughn Maxwell to serve as the next fire chief. Chief Maxwell has spent nearly three decades of his fire and EMS career at South County Fire, most recently serving as Assistant Chief/Executive Officer. He brings a passion for optimizing human performance and mental health in the fire service and was recently recognized by the International Association of Fire Chiefs with the 2025 Medal of Meritorious Service.
During his more than 40 years in emergency services, Eastman has played a critical role in evolving medical response to meet community needs. An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) since 1984, Eastman was hired by Snohomish County Fire District 11 as a firefighter/paramedic in 1996 and came up through the ranks as local fire departments consolidated over the years. He helped draft the Regional Fire Authority (RFA) Plan approved by voters in 2017 to establish South County Fire. He also played a key role in the annexations of Brier, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds into the regional fire authority. He was a critical leader in local fire agencies’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eastman spent 25 years in the United States military, serving in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1987 to 1991 and the Air National Guard from 1994 to 2013, including a 2007 deployment to Iraq.
“Chief Eastman has been involved in all of the big issues handled by South County Fire in the last 20 years,” said Jim Kenny, chair of the South County Fire Board of Commissioners. “Chief Eastman has outstanding analytical skills that have helped South County Fire be a data-driven organization. We wish Chief Eastman well in retirement, and he has left this organization better than he when he found it.”
North County Regional Fire Authority Fire Chief Dave Kraski said members of the fire service leave a mark on their organization as they retire.
“Chief Eastman’s legacy is that of an architect,” Kraski said. “The majority of his career has been spent in different positions and ranks in administration, the non-heroic and less exciting part of the fire service. Bob has played a role at some level in all of the mergers over the last few decades, into what is now South County Fire – the largest fire and EMS provider in Snohomish County.”
South County Fire Commissioner and retired fire chief Ed Widdis said, “As a strategic leader, Chief Eastman understands that the strongest outcomes come from empowering those around him. The progress he set in motion will continue long after his tenure, always anchored in our commitment to serve this community.”
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
