Coupeville Sports

Jerry Helm and his associate are available for fireman calendars, if the pay is right. (Photo courtesy Lindsey Helm)

Jerry Helm is a man of many titles.

Dad, husband, prairie heartthrob, lead mechanic for the family racing business, which features daughters Finley and Scotlyn burning up the track as members of the Washington Quarter Midget Association.

And, as of next week, the former Wolf athlete and coach will officially be the Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue Chief.

Helm’s swearing in ceremony, open to the public, goes down Tuesday, May 16 at CWIFR Station 54.

The event is scheduled to run from 5:00-6:30 PM, with light refreshments on the menu.

The station is located at 3253 Day Road in Greenbank.

Fire and rescue personnel are encouraged to wear their Class A uniforms, while others are requested to wear business attire.

Helm, a 1998 Coupeville grad, was a four-sport athlete for the Wolves, playing football, basketball, baseball, and track and field.

He was a co-captain on the gridiron, while earning MVP honors and advancing to state as a runner.

During his senior season at CHS, he teamed up with Damon Vracin, Scott Stuurmans and Paul Donnellon to smash the school’s 4 x 400 record.

Helm later returned to the school as an adult, working as an assistant coach with the Wolf football program.

After a tour of duty with the engineering department at Island County Public Works, Helm transitioned into firefighting.

Beginning as a volunteer, he became a full-time firefighter with CWIFR in 2005 and captain in 2015.

Helm has been the acting chief since Ed Hartin retired at the end of 2022, capping a 13-year run with Central Whidbey.