Rick Evans has worn several hats during his two decades as a firefighter. Now, he can add fire inspector to that list.

Evans came to the Sedona Fire District 13 years ago after serving the previous four years as fire marshal in Cottonwood. During his time with SFD he has served as a firefighter. But a knee injury earlier this year sidelined him and during that time he was filling in as a temporary fire inspector as the district looked for a replacement. But recently, Chief Kris Kazian asked Evans if he’d like to officially be the new inspector and he jumped at the opportunity.

“When I was offered the position, I felt like it was a good fit,” he said. “Being that I was fire marshal years ago, I do have the background for the job. Plus, this allows for more personal growth.”

As for his decision, Kazian said, “We are happy to have Rick join the team. He brings valuable resources to the division having spent 13 years as a firefighter at Sedona and his past experience as a fire marshal and even as fire chief at one point early in his career. Having him come from the suppression side will give us a greater depth and understanding of the organization.”

Evans admitted that even though the new job has gone well so far and he has no regrets accepting it, there is going to be a transition from one position to the other.

“It’s difficult to leave what I’ve been doing the last 13 years — being a firefighter for the district,” he said. “It’s a major adjustment going from a 48-hour shift to a regular 40-hour work week. I lived that life for so long, that it’s an adjustment.”

But not necessarily in a bad way.

“Nowadays a 10-hour work day can often go by in the blink of an eye,” he said. “And at night, I have no sleep interruptions. So, there are definitely plenty of pros.”

Despite having a long career in the profession, Evans said he has plenty to learn as a fire inspector, as he pointed to two dozen thick manuals with all the various fire codes. He said that while firefighters are reactive to calls for emergencies or fires, his new job requires him to be proactive while protecting the community and his fellow firefighters in a different way.

“It’s going to be lifelong continuing education,” he said. “The codes are continuously evolving and changing. It keeps you on your toes because there is always something new coming down the pike.”

As a fire inspector, some of his main responsibilities include inspecting new homes and businesses for items such as sprinklers and smoke alarms as well as those businesses that have been sold or are being renovated for another purpose. He also responds to public complaints of potential fire risks, leads Firewise community assessments and community outreach, which includes talking with schoolchildren.

One of his other tasks will be to assist the fire marshal with investigations. For now that means working under Fire Marshal Gary Johnson, who has been with the district for more than 25 years but will be retiring in January.

“Gary knows the history of the area, the district, the buildings, the developers — everything,” he said. “We’ve spent a lot of time these last few months talking about anything and everything, which has helped me out a great deal. One of the most important things I’ve learned from him is taking a common sense approach when doing an investigation. He’s a real asset to the district and will be missed when he leaves.”