Published March 14 2025
City manager names Deputy Chief Dave Tait as interim
Bellevue Fire Chief Jay Hagen, who has served as Bellevue’s chief since 2018, announced Friday he has accepted a position as fire chief with the City of Kalispell, Mont. His last day with the Bellevue Fire Department will be April 25. City Manager Diane Carlson also announced Deputy Chief Dave Tait as interim fire chief upon Hagen’s departure.
“Jay will be very much missed in Bellevue for his engagement in the community, his continued dedication to the high quality of our fire service and his commitment to innovation and collaboration in supporting the best solutions for the Bellevue community, including our Bellevue Fire CARES team and the Community Crisis Assistance Team, which is a cooperative program with Bellevue Police,” said Carlson. “I am thankful we have such impressive bench strength in the department as well, which makes me confident to name Dave as our interim fire chief. I know he will serve the Bellevue Fire staff and the Bellevue community with professionalism, skill and compassion.”
Deputy Chief Tait has been with the department for 28 years, serving in roles including firefighter, paramedic, lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and deputy chief for the bureau of operations since 2023. He is a University of Washington graduate and has a master’s degree from Arizona State University in public safety leadership and executive fire administration. He is also heavily involved in public safety training, serving as an instructor for a variety of emergency medical and community response courses. In 2024, Tait was honored with the Integrity, Commitment to Employees, and Exceptional Public Service Core Value Award for the Bellevue Fire Department.
Hagen’s career began with the Missoula City Fire Department and he then spent 30 years with the Seattle Fire Department. During his time with Bellevue, he was successful in implementing enhanced public safety measures, creating a Data and Systems division within the fire department to move the needle on data-informed decisions and spearheading the creation of the Bellevue Fire Foundation.
“During my almost 7-year tenure in Bellevue, I really appreciated hearing from the community about how much they value the department members and their work,” said Hagen. “I am so proud of the team at Bellevue Fire and what we were able to accomplish together. The professional leadership at the city, the support from the council and the unmatched dedication of the staff made this a very special and rewarding time for me. I will sincerely miss the team at Bellevue Fire, but I know they will continue to meet and exceed the expectations of the community.”
The Bellevue Fire Department serves a population of more than 155,000 in a 33-square mile area, with mutual aid agreements serving an additional 201,000 community members. The department includes nine fire stations, with a tenth currently under construction, and a staff of 247 firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and mental health professionals.
The department has maintained accreditation with the Center for Public Safety Excellence since 1998. One of a select few firefighting agencies with a Class 2 rating from the Washington State Survey and Rating Bureau, Bellevue Fire ranks in the top 1% of the 46,699 departments in the U.S. and maintains one of the highest cardiac arrest survival rates in the world.