New Big Sur Fire Chief

New Big Sur Fire Chief.

Dear Friends,

As the Big Sur Fire Board of Directors has decided to implement their succession plan please join me in welcoming Deputy Chief Matt Harris when he assumes the position of Chief on January 1, 2019.

I have so appreciated all of your help, friendship and support over the years, in particular after the devastating Pfeiffer Fire.

I know you all will be equally supportive of Matt going forward and he will make an excellent Chief!

After 42 years in EMS, 14 with the American Red Cross Big Sur Ambulance and almost 28 with Big Sur Fire, wearing a pager and being on call 24/7, I will now see how “normal” people live.  You may no longer even recognize me without driving my white Big Sur Fire truck, and yes Nadine, I will now wear another color besides blue!

Sincerely,

Martha Karstens

Chief

 

bigsurkate

Appointed appellate counsel for indigent defendants (retired.) I have lived in Big Sur since 1984, first on the north coast, and on the South Coast since 1989.

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  • Kate, your lettering in that story is 99% black - so, it's unreadable on your blog! Now the comments section here has remained the same color as usual.

    • This is what it says:

      Dear Friends,

      As the Big Sur Fire Board of Directors has decided to implement their succession plan, please join me in welcoming Deputy Chief Matt Harris when he assumes the position of Chief on January 1, 2019.

      I have so appreciated all of your help, friendship and support over the years, in particular after the devastating Pfeiffer Fire.

      I know you all will be equally supportive of Matt going forward and he will make an excellent Chief!

      After 42 years in EMS, 14 with the American Red Cross Big Sur Ambulance and almost 28 with Big Sur Fire, wearing a pager and being on call 24/7, I will now see how “normal” people live. You may no longer even recognize me without driving my white Big Sur Fire truck, and yes Nadine, I will now wear another color besides blue!

      Sincerely,

      Martha Karstens Chief

      https://bigsurkate.blog Do not forward, for intended, named recipient above, only.

  • Thanks Kate, so, future stories section of Wordpress will have the same result as today? Would saving daily snapshots of your font color aid in returning to what it was before or is it stuck in a uncontrollable loop of dark font from now on?

    • I have no idea, Andrew. I am hoping this was just a fluke. If it is a new permanent thing, I will change the whole formatting of the blog, because this will just not work, of course.

      https://bigsurkate.blog Do not forward, for intended, named recipient above, only.

  • And getting back to the story line, I would like to give a BIG shout out and thank you to Martha for her 40 plus years serving our community by way of the Red Cross and Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, not to mention all the other ways she continues to be involved with our community - Thank you Martha!!!!

  • Chief Karstens,

    Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for your service to the Big Sur community !. I think you can retire from the Department, but I'm not sure one can ever fully stop being a Firefighter.
    Regards,
    Chris

  • Matt is first class plus! I have had several opportunities to observe his response in 911 calls in Monterey.

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