BENTON COUNTY, Wash.— After more 38 years of fire service, longtime Benton County Fire District #1 Chief Lonnie Click has transitioned into a new role to prepare for retirement. As of May 1, 2024, Deputy Chief Scott LoParco is promoted to Fire Chief, while Click transitions into a Chief Executive Officer position. He will continue working on capital projects and providing leadership and guidance to the agency until he retires, December 31, 2024.
Click first came to Benton County Fire District #1 (BCFD1) in 1986 as a volunteer. He held many positions in the district, including Lieutenant, Captain, and Deputy Chief before becoming the Fire Chief in 2014. In addition to serving residents of Benton County, Click served 27 years with the Hanford Fire Department, has participated in regional Incident Management Teams over the past 25 years, responding to large-scale wildland fires and other emergencies throughout the United States.
“When I think about the past 10 years serving as Fire Chief, I think I’m most proud of the work we did to improve the services that we provide to the community,” said Click. “Building a new fire station on Badger Road, adding ambulance transport to our Emergency Medical Services, as well as replacing 17 aging emergency response apparatus with new ones are some of the things I’m proud of. Not only does this new equipment help our firefighters and paramedics do their job better, in many cases it also enhances the safety of the men and women who choose to volunteer and work for the District.”
Incoming Chief LoParco started his career in the fire service at BCFD1 in 1990. A 36-year resident of Finley, LoParco has deep ties to the community and looks forward to continuing to serve Benton County residents. He will be sworn in at a pinning ceremony in the near future.
Formed in September 1946, BCFD1 provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, and fire education to a population of more than 19,000 residents in southeast Benton County. The District’s seven stations cover 320 square miles extending to the Oregon border. About two-thirds of the District’s personnel are volunteers, with the balance made up of career firefighters and paramedics.
