Tayler Mifflin brings an intergenerational sense of mission and a strong commitment to his team as Seward’s new fire chief.
The 31-year-old was sworn into the role on Dec. 3 and took charge of the 39-member, all-volunteer department the next day.
Mifflin is a graduate of the Southeast Community College’s fire protection technology program, a veteran of the Ulysses and Milford volunteer departments, and became a licensed emergency medical technician while serving the Milford department.
For the past seven years he has been a member of the Seward Volunteer Fire Department, most recently serving as assistant training officer. The turn of events that led him to join the department and his peers to nominate him for the chief’s job are events Mifflin said he would not have predicted.
James Kimsey, who just completed 12 years – six terms – as Seward’s fire chief, is one of the people who helped convince Mifflin to join the fire department team when he moved back to his hometown.
“I was fortunate to have the chief that came before me,” Mifflin said. “He did a lot of really good things for the department.”
Mifflin has known Kimsey since childhood because the Mifflin family has long been part of the volunteer firefighter community.
Tayler Mifflin’s father, Jason Mifflin, served on the department before his death, which occurred when his son was just 14. His grandfather, Stan Mifflin, late uncle, Jonathan Mifflin, and his great-uncle, Bruce Mifflin, all were volunteer firefighters here.
Mifflin always knew he wanted to be involved in public service in a positive role, but it was not until he became a volunteer firefighter that he understood the teamwork, service, and commitment that kept these volunteers on call all the time.
They often leave work, family gatherings and other activities to help others.
“We get to see people on their worst days – and they are pretty excited to see you. And that’s pretty cool,” Mifflin said.
While he has taken the top leadership position, Mifflin is quick to point to the dozen leadership positions in the volunteer department, where volunteers assure that all roles are covered and people have what they need to do the job.
His SCC program was geared toward the tools and techniques seen in larger, paid departments, Mifflin said.
“Being a 100 percent volunteer organization is an all-different dynamic,” he said. “That’s a pretty cool aspect of it.”
Most people don’t see the organization and work behind the volunteers who show up when people need them most. Mifflin hopes to keep communication within the department, with the city and with the community open.
“Just letting everybody know what we do and what we are about” is important, he said.
The department is solid with its current volunteers, though he notes it could always use more people, and some of the equipment is dated. Trucks have gotten bigger, and the equipment needed to respond to accidents today is not the same as it used to be, Mifflin said.
The prices have increased, too, Mifflin said. A new ladder truck would now cost $1.7 to $2.1 million.
“We definitely make do with what we have got,” he said.
But he and his leadership team are constantly looking for improvements that will help set his team up for success.
In 2023, the department set a record for responding to 750 calls, which is up about 150 calls from when he first joined the Seward department. This year, he expects they will surpass 700.
“We’re going to push community outreach as far as what we do and how we do it,” Mifflin said.
In addition to emergency calls, the volunteers are involved in 11 or 12 training sessions and attend 12 meetings each year. The volunteers who fill slots like training officer, rescue captain, and company captains have additional meetings and responsibilities.
All of it takes a substantial amount of time for volunteers.
That has been important for Mifflin, who credits his wife, Kelsi, with keeping their family on track with 3-year-old Olivia, when he is called out. He changed jobs a few years ago to be a warehouse specialist with a day-shift at Levrack in Seward, rather than working swing shifts at his previous employer, which gave him more family time.
Having a child also changed his view of the department’s work and demands.
“Our members spend enough time away from our families,” he said. He hopes to bring their family members into the department when possible.
He values the readiness of volunteers standing ready to help his and others’ families every day.
“We are never really searching for a thank you. We just want the public to know that we are always here,” Mifflin said. “Our goal is always to be as professional and courteous as possible, and have pride in what we do.”
Each of the department officers is elected to staggered two-year terms to provide continuity.
