Amid other leadership changes, the South King Fire is still searching for a new chief, about 10 months after the former chief was placed on leave and subsequently retired.
According to South King Fire (SKF) Executive Director Joe Ganem, the fire district is still searching for a replacement for former Chief Dave Van Valkenburg and has hired a consulting firm to assist in the process. Ganem said the newest update is that the consulting firm advertised the opening/application process for the fire chief position.
Van Valkenburg was placed on paid administrative leave pending an independent investigation during a Dec. 4, 2024, SKF Board of Commissioners meeting. Van Valkenburg subsequently retired after a Jan. 8, 2025, meeting — a day before his administrative leave was set to end — when the board of commissioners received a letter from Van Valkenburg stating he would like to retire on Feb. 1, 2025.
The board then accepted his retirement notice. According to Ganem, for the time being, he is fulfilling the duties of the chief.
A day after Van Valkenburg was placed on leave, former Emergency Medical Services Deputy Chief Lisa Defenbaugh was placed on paid administrative leave on Dec. 5, 2024, pending an independent investigation, but returned to work on Jan. 9, 2025. In previous Mirror reporting, the district stated that the reasons for Defenbaugh and Van Valkenburg’s leaves were part of separate and independent investigations.
According to the investigation, obtained through a public records request by the Mirror, in November 2024, following an internal audit, several concerns regarding Defenbaugh were raised, and she was placed on leave pending investigation of allegations of misconduct. The allegations were related to misrepresentation, misuse of district property, misuse of district time, tardiness and breach of contract.
According to Defenbaugh’s independent investigation, Defenbaugh did not breach the terms of her contract, but potential policy violations could be interpreted as such. According to the investigation, regarding the allegations as a whole, inadequate policy development, inconsistent application and enforcement, the absence of clear expectations, and a lack of performance-related feedback were significant factors contributing to concerns surrounding Defenbaugh’s conduct and the district’s perceptions of her actions.
According to the investigation, another contributing factor to the concerns surrounding Defenbaugh’s conduct was the lack of oversight from then-Chief Van Valkenburg. According to the investigation, the lack of oversight allowed practices that were perceived as objectionable by the district. Additionally, the policies governing Fair Labor Standards Act-exempt employees were written in a highly employee-friendly manner, which seemed inconsistent with the district’s expectations.
On Aug. 4, 2025, Defenbaugh was terminated because an assessment of organizational needs determined the body of work did not require a deputy chief, Ganem said.
According to an Aug. 4 email sent to all district personnel from Ganem, the mobile integrated health program team — that Defenbaugh established and oversaw — would report to SKF Policy and Programs Deputy Chief Layne Winters. The Mirror obtained the Aug. 4 email from a public records request.
Ganem said that the assistant chief of operations would provide guidance on emergency medical services, mobile integrated health oversight and responsibilities within the organization.
Recently filled administrative positions
In August 2025, the assistant chief of operations and assistant chief of planning and services positions were vacant. However, according to Ganem, the assistant chief of operations position, which had been vacant since December 2024, was filled on Sept. 1 by an internal hire who has been with the district for 35 years.
Ganem said the assistant chief of operations position oversees the operation functions of the district, including divisions responsible for fire operations, emergency medical services, the mobile integrated health unit, special operations, training and the four shift battalion chiefs.
Regarding the assistant chief of planning and services position, which is a new position, Ganem said that the position was also filled on Sept. 1 by an internal hire who has been with the district for 26 years. Ganem said the position adds operational knowledge to the support divisions within the business operations team.
Ganem said that those support divisions directly impact firefighters’ lives, safety and equipment. Ganem said the district plans to add several resources over the next few years, including a new fire station. He said these resources will require additional operational understanding and oversight embedded into the projects.
“The district expects to add resources (firefighters, fire engines, and aid cars) over the next several years to address rising demand (call volume),” Ganem said. “In addition, fire station renovations and plans for a new fire station in the south end of Federal Way.”
