Northern Wake Fire Department News

Candidates Introduction

Below is information provided by canidates intrested in serving on the Northern Wake Fire Department Board of Directors.

North Wake Fire Department Board of Directors Board Member Candidate Introduction Form

Name: __Mason Dorsett_

Address: 6321 Clamshell Dr. Wake Forest NC, 27587

Date: __5/19/25_

Describe what experience you have in the management of a non-profit corporation or other organization.

I has served in various roles in both the Stony Hill FD and Northern Wake FD as both active member and on both Boards of Directors. As an active firefighter, I was Captain for several years before being appointed as a Chief Officer prior to merger with SHFD. I served as VP on the BOD at SHFD as well. For the last 3 years I have been on the BOD of Northern Wake, including 1 year as VP and 1 year as President (a role I currently serve in)

Describe what special abilities and skills you could bring to the board.

I would like to believe that bring a wide variety of skills and experience to the role. Leadership and perspective being the biggest two. Having made a dual career in the world of large corporations and the fire service gives me that perspective.

What familiarity do you have with the delivery of first responder services?

I spent 25 years as a volunteer, most of that as an officer and at a time when the department was run by the volunteers. My familiarity with the delivery of services is extensive and personal.

What experience do you have that enables you to effectively interact with elected government officials, agencies and administrators?

My fire officer experience has had me involved for years with Wake County officials on things like budget, expansion, etc. However, it is my corporate background that speaks to this question specifically. The first 20+ years of that career were spent in, for the most part, Product Management. One of the keys to that role is customer education of new products as they are introduced . I would give in the neighborhood of 250 presentations a year on average with a significant percentage of those being to government officials. These range from town/city/county leaders to state and federal. Since 2019 I have been in sales and focused specifically on government customers. My business revenues have grown significantly in every role, speaking to my ability to communicate effectively with those government officials at every level as well as understand and manage both state and federal contracts.

What other information you would want the nominating committee and the electorate to know about you?

I have given a significant portion of my life to the organization that is now Northern Wake Fire Department. I am willing and able to continue to serve should they wish to allow me to. Significant changes have already been made to the way our BOD operates as was the mandate given by the electorate when I was elected to this BOD 3 years ago. The job is not complete, and I would welcome the opportunity to continue that work before I leave a better department to the next group of leaders.

North Wake Fire Department Board of Directors Board Member Candidate Introduction FormGoes Here

Name: _George C. Mills III_

Address: 12604 Waterman Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614

Date: April 26, 2025

Describe what experience you have in the management of a non-profit corporation or other organization.

I have been serving as a NWFD Board member since the August 2022 board elections.
I served as a chief officer of the Bay Leaf VFD from January 1993 until July 1999 when Chief. I also have served the department as a Lieut., Capt., and training officer.
In 2022/2023 I managed the process the NWFD board used to search and select the current Fire Chief. This included the selection and ultimately the management of the interface with a head-hunter agency. This process started with the identification of the skills and abilities the NWFD was seeking in the new Chief, then working with the consultant who conducted the search and identified the prospective candidates for consideration using proven evaluation criteria and recommended to the board the final candidate, which the board approved in May 2023.
Living in Hurley, NY Fire District, I was a publicly elected Fire Commissioner for five years.
I have been the treasurer of a 501 C (3) organization (ODHFS) since April 2018.
I have also served as a board member and treasurer of my HOA for 29 of the past 33 years.

Describe what special abilities and skills you could bring to the board.

For 10 years I managed an IBM planning department that was responsible for establishing product requirements, business case justification and ultimately the delivery of networking controllers supporting end-user computer terminals.
I am proficient in the use of word processing and database software.

Holding a degree in Electrical Engineering, I can evaluate technical concepts and apply logical steps for solving complex problems.

What familiarity do you have with the delivery of first responder services?

In 1991/1992 I worked with another member to prepare the Bay Leaf FD for the first ISO Classification evaluation that resulted in the district improving from a Class 9 to a Class 6, and later expand the coverage area in a 1997 re-evaluation.
I was employed as a consultant for Sage Group and contributed to multiple contracts for services that requested recommendations for improving the future delivery of emergency services to diverse communities: Town of Huntersville – NC, Arlington County – VA, Orange County – NC.
I taught Hydraulics, Building Construction, and Strategic Planning evening classes at Durham Technical Community College within the Fire Protection Associate degree program as an adjunct member of the teaching staff.
I was a first responder as an Emergency Medical Technician in NY, and for over 48 years as a firefighter in NY and NC. I am familiar with the challenges and issues that arise in the delivery of emergency services to the public.

What experience do you have that enables you to effectively interact with elected government officials, agencies and administrators?

I was the first Northern Region Chief representative on the Wake County Fire Commission when it was first established in 1998.
In my professional career, I have delivered many presentations to executive officers of IBM and IBM customers.
For 10 years I was part of an IBM team that represented IBM at national conferences (Guide & Share) convened by IBM customers 3 or 4 times a year.
I oversaw the justification, specification and purchase of the first aerial ladder in the department history in 1999.

What other information would you want the nominating committee and the electorate to know about you?

I have been a resident in the fire district for the past 38 years and have always been supportive of the volunteer fire service.
I personally own two antique fire trucks and have used my experience and contacts to repair the NWFD 1954 MACK fire engine that preserves a small part of the department’s history.
I am the current chairman of the fire department’s Relief Board responsible for addressing the needs of the department members as prescribed by NC statue.

Northern Wake Fire Department Board of Directors Board Member Candidate Introduction Form

Name: Joe Travers

Address: 1000 Hazeltown Rd. / Wake Forest, NC 27587-4444

Date: May 26, 2025

Describe what experience you have in the management of a non-profit corporation or other organization.

I am currently the Director of Operations for Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School (CRRTHS) in Durham, NC. CRRTHS is a nonprofit with a $6 million annual budget. At CRRTHS, I am chiefly responsible for accounting, banking, financial planning and forecasting, human resources, information technology, and facilities. In years past, I was the Director of Operations for Consolidated Catholic Administrative Services (CCAS), located in Thornwood, NY. My responsibilities at CCAS, also a nonprofit, were similar to those at CRRTHS.

Describe what special abilities and skills you could bring to the board.

During my 1^st term as a Director with the Northern Wake Fire Department (NWFD), I contributed greatly in the areas of accounting and finance. Having never served as a firefighter, I also bring a unique level of objectivity with me. If reelected, I believe that these 2 attributes will continue to be good assets for the NWFD.

What familiarity do you have with the delivery of first responder services?

I have a familiarity that is better than the average layman. But, as I previously mentioned, I have never served as a firefighter. Therefore, I do not have the same knowledge and expertise that other NWFD Directors profess.

Nevertheless, I do not subscribe to the philosophy that one cannot know something unless they have done it. As a person dedicated to continuous learning, I seek to learn about the fire department. For example, during the first month of my first term, I read the book, North Carolina Fire Law. As a result, there were a few instances during my first term where I had insights and knowledge that professional firefighters did not have. I have also read books on Roberts Rules and North Carolina Open Meetings Law. My dedication to continuous learning has help me contribute to the NWFD in unique ways.

What experience do you have that enables you to effectively interact with elected government officials, agencies and administrators?

Early in my life, I served as a legislative intern for the Suffolk County Legislature, in Suffolk County, New York. This experience has served me well throughout my life. I have also worked closely with the City of Tulsa, OK. In Tulsa, I was responsible for closing a Shared Services Center of 1,000+ employees. I worked closely with the mayor and other city officials to mitigate the negative impact of the closing.

Finally, in my first term with the NWFD, I have worked with Wake County both directly and indirectly – attending Fire Commission meetings, State of the County meetings, and interacting with Director of Fire Services & Emergency Management, Darrell Alford, and his staff.

What other information you would want the nominating committee and the electorate to know about you?

Serving on the NWFD Board is a great honor. If selected, I will diligently seek to act in the best interests of the community, the department, and the brave men and women that give their all.

Northern Wake Fire Department 2024 Updated ISO Rating

Sep 24, 2024

We are thrilled to share some exciting news from the Northern Wake Fire Department! After a recent inspection by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), we are proud to announce that, thanks to the unwavering dedication and hard work of our incredible volunteers,...

Wake County Fire Departments Announce Consolidation, Introduce Northern Wake Fire Department

Jul 1, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnCGmydPBCA Raleigh, NC—The Bay Leaf Volunteer Fire Department and Stony Hill Rural Fire Department announced today that they will consolidate on July 1, 2017 forming the Northern Wake Fire Department located in Wake County, NC, just...