Kachemak Emergency Services Chief Robert Cicciarella retired last Friday after 17 years of service to the community.

According to a press release provided by KESA, Cicciarella arrived in Alaska in 2006 and started at KESA as the fire service area administrator in 2007.

“That’s what I was originally hired for; there was a volunteer chief before I got here and the service area was under contract with the City of Homer for operations,” Cicciarella said. “One of the things that the borough had asked me to do was a study on whether it was worth becoming independent.”

He was officially hired as fire chief on July 1, 2009.

Cicciarella is credited with turning KESA into the emergency services force that it is today. When he began work as fire chief, at the same time that KESA broke off from the City of Homer and became its own department, they only had three apparatuses and one “hand-me-down” ambulance, the release says. Cicciarella was tasked with finding a new station, setting up a radio system, getting volunteers, and having everything up and running within three months.

“We had negotiated with the City of Homer to break off over a two-year period. But a new administration came in, and it was April 1 when they said to me — I thought it was an April Fool’s joke — ‘We want you to break off the whole thing by July 1,’” he said. “Somebody was watching over us, because we pulled it off.”

A noteworthy mark of Cicciarella’s leadership, according to the release, occurred only eight days after KESA broke off from the City of Homer. On July 8, 2009, Cicciarella sent a fire engine and crew to assist with the Shanta Creek Wildfire in Soldotna, which by the time it was declared to be contained on July 21, had burned more than 13,000 acres and involved more than 400 firefighting personnel.

“The Shanta Creek Fire was threatening homes, and we were asked if we could send a truck,” Cicciarella said. “I was kind of hesitant but I did it anyways, because they needed help up there. It was a big thing for KESA because we had just broken off (from Homer) and were able to help.”

KESA’s assistance with the fire “drew much respect from surrounding departments,” the release says.

KESA, which covers a service area of 214 square miles, now has 15 apparatuses, two fire stations — the first located on Ashwood Avenue, several miles out East End Road, and the second located on Diamond Ridge — a corps of “dedicated” volunteers and, soon, nine full-time staff providing service 24/7 out of KESA Station 1.

This transformation is also the most memorable thing about his tenure as chief, Cicciarella said.

“It was always a struggle, when trying to come up with innovative ways to raise funds. … We started out with a lot of hand-me-downs from CES in order to make things work, and I gradually went out and got new apparatus because we really needed it badly,” he said. “It’s really been a struggle, trying to make this a premier department, which I think it is today, because of those budget constraints. But we did it.”

He also said that one of his biggest feats was obtaining an aerial fire apparatus.

“Everybody calls that ladder truck my baby, because there was no aerial in the southern peninsula,” he said. “The closest one was at CES. That ladder truck, since we got it, has just been invaluable both to us and the City of Homer.”

Cicciarella spoke to the impending move to full-time coverage at KESA’s Station 1.

“Volunteers are few and far between today, so that’s always been a struggle. We have 5,000 people in the service area, roughly, and another 5,000 in the city, and then you have two fire departments. Then you think about how many people want to volunteer for emergency services, and the number is really small,” he said.

“Going to (24/7 coverage) is going to be key, because that will really reduce response times and get those apparatus out the door. We’ll still page out for additional help, but at least we can get things rolling quickly. Hopefully we can spread that to (Diamond Ridge) in the near future.”

The station on Diamond Ridge is currently “like a big garage,” and Cicciarella said that the next chief will need to focus on bringing that space up to the speed of Station 1 in the future.

A new fire chief has not yet been selected by the borough for KESA. In the interim, Deputy Chief Eric Schultz will work as acting fire chief.

Upon retirement, Cicciarella said that he’s looking forward to redoing his horse pasture and “getting it up to good health.”

“I might (also) do some writing and consulting going forward,” he said. “My wife thinks I should write a book about all the times here at KESA, because it’s been very interesting over the years.”

On consulting, Cicciarella said he’s interested in and has previously done research on firefighter intervention and deaths.

“A lot of them are avoidable, and a lot of them happen because of practices that might be in a particular fire department,” he said. “I’ve had this idea about trying to help with that in some way, shape or form, to get situational awareness at some of these departments that actually are complacent. It’s surprising how many chiefs are out there that don’t even look at things like near-miss reports, and so forth, so they can learn off of them.”

Cicciarella’s personal experiences, such as when he fell through a false wall in a condominium fire in 1986 and broke his back, also inform this interest.

“Things like that can happen, but that happened because I didn’t check the other side the way I should have, and I fell through a false wall. It’s really important to have that situational awareness at all times … taking that couple extra seconds to check things out and make sure it’s safe before you do something,” he said. “Maybe I can help with that.”

Going forward, Cicciarella hopes that the community as a whole continues to support the fire departments on the peninsula.

“I was told once by someone in the administration that fire departments are needy and they always want something — but it’s so true,” he said. “There’s so many things that a fire department has to have … because you never know what situation you’re going to come up against, and with call volumes going up and the building that’s going on in our service area — trying to stay up with that, having the community’s support is going to be huge.”

Responses to Cicciarella’s retirement last week from KESA staff were bittersweet, as they were sad to see him go but recognized that his retirement was well-deserved.

KESA Administrative Firefighter Technician Wendy Bales said that Cicciarella had fostered a family atmosphere during his tenure.

“Chief treats everyone who walks through the door — whether they’re volunteer or paid — as family,” she said. “He will bend over backwards and do everything he can … because it’s not a job, it’s (a lifestyle).”

Bales also said that Cicciarella had been on “about 95%” of all the calls she’s been on in the last 12 years.

“He is out on every single call, around the clock,” she said. “He will not let his people be out there without watching over them, and it just makes you feel covered and protected. It’s incredible.”

Jose Diaz, a captain and the longest-serving current member of KESA, said he’s had an “awesome 15 years” working by Cicciarella’s side.

“He’s a well-knowledgeable man,” he said. “What I like about him is that he puts the people first before him. That’s one of the biggest things that’ll be forever in my mind. He’s a great chief (and) a great leader. I’m glad he’s taking his retirement, and I hope he enjoys life. I’m going to miss him.”

Sam Martin, the newest KESA member, said that Cicciarella was the reason she came to the station.

“He was kind and super excited in the way he talked about the community and the crew here. It made me really excited to be here,” she said. “I got to go on my very first fire here with him, and he just had an amazing way that he worked with everybody, so I really feel like I’m going to miss out. I’m sad I don’t get to work with him longer, but I’m glad I got to at least be here for a little bit.”

Kelly Parker spoke to Cicciarella’s experience and wisdom as fire chief.

“He knows this area like the back of hand, which is remarkable. He also know our apparatus like the back of his hand,” she said. “When he is speaking about things, you can tell that this man has a wealth of experience in fire … and I feel like I haven’t worked with him long enough to be able to crack into all of that.”

Parker said she remembered when Station 1 was first built, when KESA was still part of Homer and was manned by volunteers.

“It is remarkable that he has been able to fight all the right battles to get us all this equipment, to help us be a paid, manned station. I think that’s his legacy he leaves behind, that he built something from nothing,” she said. “His retirement is well-deserved. (He’s) a crusader. Crusaders fight for the right fight. Sometimes crusaders need a rest, and I’m really happy that he gets to do that.”

Schultz said that Cicciarella has been “absolutely dedicated” to KESA and to the whole community.

“We’re sad to see him go. Happy that he’s able to, but he will be missed,” he said. “Whoever does take up his position will have very big shoes to fill.”

Robert Cicciarella (left), now-retired Kachemak Emergency Services fire chief, shakes hands with Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche (right) during Cicciarella’s retirement party on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at KESA Station 1 in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Wendy Bales