(The Center Square) – Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown on Friday announced personnel updates in her new administration, including the pending departure of Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer and the appointment of Dawn Kinder as director of the city’s Neighborhood, Housing, and Human Services division.
Schaeffer will be stepping down from his role as fire chief effective Jan. 15 while assisting in a transition period before formally retiring at the end of March, according to the mayor’s office.
“The agreement comes as Mayor Brown had plans to transition the role and after Chief Schaeffer had expressed his intention to retire to the previous administration and department leadership,” the announcement said.
Assistant Fire Chief Tom Williams will remain in his capacity and continue to manage day-to-day department operations.
Schaeffer, 52, joined the Spokane Fire Department in May 2005 and has served as chief since 2017. The department has a 2024 budget of about $74 million that funds 338 full time-equivalent positions in its operations sections, of which 313 are currently filled, said city communications director Erin Hut.
The operations sections include firefighters, emergency medical technicians, hazardous materials response personnel, water rescue personnel, and fire investigators.
During his tenure, Schaeffer was credited with helping the community through “many emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped develop innovative programs like the Behavioral Health Response Unit, Community Assistance Response Team, and Alternative Response Team.”
“It has been an honor to lead and serve alongside the exceptional individuals at the Spokane Fire Department over the past 20 years,” Schaeffer said in the statement. “The experiences gained and the relationships forged will forever be cherished. I look forward to seeing the SFD continue to thrive and set benchmarks in public safety and community service.”
Brown called Schaeffer “a dedicated public servant who has helped our community both in times of crisis and in times of celebration. I thank him for his commitment to our community and wish him the best as he heads into retirement.”
The mayor’s office said Schaeffer will remain with the department until March 31 and assist with the transition process, which will include naming an interim chief.
Dawn Kinder’s appointment as Neighborhood, Housing, and Human Services director marks her return to city government.
Most recently, she worked at Catholic Charities Eastern Washington as chief stabilization officer with oversight for multiple departments serving homeless individuals and families, families involved in child welfare, long-term stay hospital patients, and their respective institutions.
Prior to that, Kinder was Spokane’s director of the Neighborhood and Business Services division, overseeing operations for housing and human services, planning and economic development, code enforcement, parking, historic preservation, and customer service, Brown called Dawn Kinder “a proven leader who brings an extensive wealth of knowledge to this role. Her experience in elevating housing standards, enhancing affordability, and improving public safety will be integral as we develop new strategies to tackle the housing and homelessness crisis in our community.”
Kinder has a bachelor’s degree in human development from Washington State University, a master’s degree in social work from Eastern Washington University, and certifications in family studies, violence prevention, and mental health, said the mayor’s office.
