Though the capital of Washington, Olympia is still a small town at heart with pockets of tight-knit neighborhoods throughout the city. Within these close communities you can find many committed and caring people serving our community. Corey Rux has been serving Thurston County as a firefighter his entire career, starting in Montesano and recently becoming the fire chief of Griffin Fire Department in July of 2020. He is deeply devoted to protecting the community and maintaining a high level of care for those he and his team serve.
Corey began his career in the fire service industry 24 years ago. “I got started right out of high school,” he recalls. “I knew it was something I wanted to do since I was 13, so there was no other direction but fire service for me,” he recalls. He first got involved in the Grays Harbor County Fire District as a recruit firefighter before pursuing some formal education to strengthen his knowledge and skills. Corey attended South Puget Sound Community College under the McClane Black Lake Program and become credentialed as Firefighter I, which gave him the skills needed to volunteer for the Montesano Fire Department and work part-time as an EMT with Olympic Ambulance. Finally, Corey decided to further his education by attending UCLA as a student in their Paramedic Education Program. Upon graduation from UCLA, Corey returned to his hometown of Montesano where he was hired on as a paramedic with the Montesano Fire Department.
Over the next 23 years, Corey remained at the Montesano Fire Department, moving up through the ranks and serving in different capacities. He eventually became the fire chief for the City of Montesano, where he served for nine years. “I became very integrated into my small town and invested in that community of Montesano,” Corey shares. “I loved my department, but after 20 years in one spot, I knew it was time to experience a new chapter so that I could grow personally and professionally.” In July of 2020, Corey officially began operating as the Griffin Fire Department fire chief and has absolutely loved it in his new community. “It was like coming home,” he shares.
For Corey, being fire chief means ensuring his team has opportunities to grow and better themselves through their career. “My job is to ensure the officers have the roots and support to do their job successfully, all with an inclusive, safe, and fun working environment,” he shares. “I want to be in a position to help others obtain their professional goals and succeed.”
As a combination fire station, Griffin Fire Department operates through the collaborative effort of both career and volunteer firefighters, and proudly supports newcomers to the fire service industry. When it comes to hiring, Corey sees skill as secondary to the values that are essential in every firefighter. “We can always develop skill, but every firefighter has to be honest, hardworking, and dedicated and willing to serve that community,” he says. “We all come from different backgrounds, but we all get into fire service because we have that compassion and desire to help people.” If you align with these core qualities, contact Griffin Fire Department to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Corey’s personal philosophy and values as the fire chief are simple yet poignant. “I believe we are here for one another, so we check our egos at the door,” he says. “We are a second family and it is important that we respect each other and have core values and principles that guide us in our every-day decision making.” This idea is the foundation for the Griffin Fire Department with each and every member of the team embracing and representing these integral ideas. In Corey’s eyes, it has allowed them to do more things in the community because they have all adopted the idea of true service. “We are for here for them and exist for the sole service of our community,” Corey shares. “We are prepared to do anything for our citizens, and that’s where true leadership comes from.”
In his time as the Griffin fire chief, Corey has continued to build a foundation and relationship with the citizens they serve. He seeks new and exciting ways to connect more with the community by supporting community events, helping with charitable donation drives, and providing local fire education to enhance safety within the Griffin School District. Additionally, Corey and his team operate under an open-door policy and invite members of the community into the station anytime they have a question or concern. “We work for the citizens who employ us, and we want to be good stewards of their tax dollars by investing that back into the community,” he says. “We want to be accessible and available for people so they can walk in and tell us what might be on their mind.”
Corey attributes much of the success and joy he has found in this career to the people he works with and serves. “When I look back on my career, I probably won’t miss getting up at 3 a.m., but I will certainly miss all of the people I have shared my life with, from my second family at the station to the amazing members of this community,” he says. With his passion for people and commitment to community, Corey has truly been making Thurston County a better place to be. To Corey and all his fellow fire service members, we thank you for your service and are fortunate to have you as leaders in our community.
