South Tongass fire chief Steve Rydeen to retire Dec. 1, weeks after his station reopened

South Tongass Fire Chief Steve Rydeen will retire Dec. 1, about two months after his volunteer department moved back into the Ketchikan station that burned in 2024.

Wednesday's South Tongass Service Area Board meeting will be his last. The board's agenda lists "Chief's last meeting" under new business, along with an update on the rebuilt station. The borough manager reported the retirement to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly on Oct. 5, according to the minutes, and Assembly Member Thompson congratulated him.

The board wants a say in who replaces him. At its Aug. 5 meeting, members talked about filling the chief, captain and lieutenant jobs with in-house hires in the future. They asked Rydeen to find out from human resources how his replacement will be chosen.

Rydeen leaves weeks after crews moved back into rebuilt Station Four on Sept. 21. In the April 9, 2024, fire, two engines, an ambulance and a support vehicle were total losses, and the department later lost its second ambulance too. For more than two years, crews worked with loaned and donated equipment while Ketchikan and North Tongass firefighters backed them up.

In August, Rydeen told the board all of the department's vehicles were running and it was fully staffed. Appliances and furniture had been ordered for the station, and about $120,000 in insurance money for its contents was left.

A resolution on the Assembly's Nov. 2 agenda would end the borough's disaster declaration for the fire. It lists the replacement vehicles as a pumper engine, an aerial ladder truck and two ambulances. On Oct. 20, the Assembly approved buying a new ambulance with a federal grant.

The department planned an open house and rededication at the station for Nov. 7.