Frank Mestemacher will begin his six-year term as a fire commissioner for South Whidbey Fire/EMS at the district’s first regular monthly meeting of the year on Jan. 14.

Elected in November, Mestemacher will replace longtime commissioner Mike Helland. Mestemacher, a Freeland resident, served as a volunteer firefighter for 15 years and left the department as a captain.

He sought the seat because he missed his involvement with the department and is eager to support volunteer retention efforts in order to continue growing a strong core of volunteers, according to a press release.