Leadership
Chief Greg Waters – Firefighter/Paramedic
Chief Waters started coming out to the Freshwater Bay area in the late 1990s just to go fishing. He and his wife, Denise, fell in love with the area and packed up and moved out here in 2007. Greg joined the Joyce Fire family in 2009 and fell in love with the community we serve. Greg was frustrated by not having any Paramedics in the District so he set about to find a way to put himself through a Paramedic program in his spare time. Approximately two years later, he was licensed as a Paramedic in Washington state and Joyce Fire began providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) services. Greg was selected to be Joyce Fire’s first full-time Chief in 2018. Greg is a former U.S. Naval Officer and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. When he is not on calls, he and Denise enjoy world-wide travelling, scuba diving, and cruising around on the Harleys. Every other minute of their lives is consumed by big lovable Golden and Labrador Retrievers—most would say far too many of them.
Assistant Chief Alex Baker – Firefighter/EMT
Alex’s first experience with emergency service was when, at the age of 17, he helped pull a swimmer out of Lake Crescent and administer CPR. He went on to serve in the Army as a Combat Medic completing tours in Mogadishu, Somalia and in the Desert Storm and Desert Shield campaigns in Iraq.
After returning to the US and leaving the armed services, he chose to offer his skills as a medic to help serve the community by volunteering for CCFPD4. He became certified as a firefighter and EMT and was eventually elected in 2010 as Volunteer Fire Chief.
Alex was self-employed from approximately 1994 to 2014, when he accepted a full-time position with the US Postal Service, a position he still holds. In early 2016 the regulations and requirements of administering a fire district made it imperative that CCFPD4 hire a full-time Fire Chief. Alex gave 18 months’ notice and assisted with the recruiting, application, and hiring to fill that career position. To smooth the transition and to the present day, Alex continues to serve as Assistant Fire Chief.
Alex was born in Seattle and grew up in Port Angeles, Washington. He studied Criminal Justice at Peninsula College after his military service. During his service at Joyce Fire, Alex has been the recipient of the Lee Poats Award for drill attendance, and Volunteer of the Year for the highest number of responses in a year. Alex is currently certified as an IFSAC Firefighter I, EMT, Fire Investigator, IFSAC Fire Instructor, IFSAC Fire Safety Officer, and Emergency Vehicle Incident Prevention (EVIP) Instructor.
In his spare time, he coached the Crescent School girls’ volleyball team for 16 years and was awarded Coach of the Year for his involvement. As hobbies Alex enjoys fishing, running, and cycling. He has participated in triathlons, marathons, a ½ Iron Man, and the Seattle to Portland in a Day cycling event, but his first love is fishing…anywhere and often.
Quartermaster Lieutenant Carolyn Flint, AEMT
Carolyn’s involvement with volunteer emergency services started with joining the Joyce Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), a group sponsored by FEMA. After joint training at a drill with Joyce Fire in 2016, she chose to join the district and became an EMT. Soon after she started studying to become an Advanced EMT and became licensed in 2020. In 2018 Carolyn was promoted to Lieutenant and took on the Quartermaster’s responsibilities.
Born outside of Salem, Oregon, Carolyn grew up in Monterey, California and moved to the Olympic Peninsula in 2000, purchasing property in Joyce in 2005. She has studied at Monterey Peninsula College, California College of Arts and Crafts pursuing the arts, then at Portland State University, and the University of Portland studying finance, land use planning, construction, business, international, and maritime law.
After 25 years in the steel industry, Carolyn retired from her position of Corporate Credit Manager of Oregon Steel Mills. During her tenure she taught commercial credit/risk management. She also served as an expert witness for litigants in cases involving commercial credit matters. She has served on the boards of the National Association of Credit Management, the Steel Mill Credit Manager’s Association, the International Steel Mill Credit Association, the Oregon Convention Center Construction Project, and more recently the Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway Association.
As hobbies, Carolyn explores art using many mediums and has enjoyed all forms of camping, including on horse-back and buck-skinning. Cycling on a recumbent trike is her current favorite outdoor activity.
Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Jason Baar – Firefighter/EMT
Jason began service with Joyce Fire in 1999 and attended the County’s Fire Academy and North Bend training. He met his future wife, Ashley, who also joined the fire district with him. After moving to Port Angeles, he served with Gales Fire for about one year until taking a break in service to raise a family. After moving back to the Joyce area, he is honored to once again serve the fire district and community and continue the tradition started by his grandpa Harold Baar. He is proud to have his son serve as a Firefighter /EMT at age 18 after completing the District’s Junior Program.
Jason balances a full-time farm, drinking water business, and takes care of the district’s apparatus. He’s also involved in the coordination of the Rescue Task Force, wild land, and rope rescue programs. Jason appreciates the hard work, sacrifice, and humility of all the Joyce volunteers and officers and the commitment to excellence they all provide the community 24 hours a day.
Lieutenant, Dave Benzick, Firefighter/Paramedic
David Benzick is currently the Station 42 Lieutenant and serves the district as a Firefighter and a Paramedic. Besides those main duties he provides training for the fire district volunteers and has certification in vehicle extrication and technical rope rescue. He has lived and worked on the Olympic Peninsula since 2007.
Assistant Medical Officer, Ashley Baar- EMT
Ashley joined the fire district in 2002, soon after she married her high school sweetheart. Together they served in the fire service until she and her husband, Jason, welcomed their first child in 2004. From there she took a 17 year break to raise and homeschool their three children. Ashley re-joined the district in 2023 where she became an EMT and currently serves as Assistant Medical Officer. She enjoys serving the community as a first responder, furthering her education in the fire district while balancing a full time farm and apiaries. Keeping with family tradition, her son is an active member serving as a firefighter/EMT. While her daughter is eager to help in many non-combat capacities around the station.
Lieutenant Gary Southard – Firefighter/EMT
Gary moved his wife and daughter up to Freshwater Bay 16 years ago. They loved the community and wanted to give back. He started with Clallam County Search and Rescue and then joined Joyce Fire. He went through the Firefighter Training Academy and then became an EMT. In his spare time he is a licensed electrician and tries to sneak in as much fishing as he can.