Robbie Hyslop was elected as WSCFF Trustee at the 86th Annual Convention in June. He was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, and graduated from Washington State University in 2007. His introduction to the fire service came through a close friend and that friend’s older brother, a firefighter in Yakima. Although unfamiliar with the field at the time, Robbie was immediately drawn to the teamwork and camaraderie of the profession and knew it was the career he wanted to pursue.
He earned his EMT certification from Lewis & Clark State College and began his fire service career in 2009 as a reserve firefighter with Pullman Fire, which was a non-union, hourly position at the time. In 2011, Robbie joined the IAFF as a member of Local 864 when he was hired by the City of Renton Fire Department. He currently serves as Battalion Chief for Renton Regional Fire Authority, which was established in 2016 with strong support from Local 864.
Robbie has held multiple leadership roles within Local 864 Renton Firefighters, including Trustee, Treasurer, and President, and continues to serve as an elected executive board member. He is a graduate of the IAFF 7th District Executive Leadership Series, Class 2, and has served as an IAFF Field Service Representative since 2022. Robbie has been active in WSCFF events since 2016, including instructing at IAFF-WSCFF Jointly Sponsored Educational Seminars and attending nine conventions as a delegate.
What motivated you to take on the role of WSCFF Trustee?
I have always been interested in fiscal stewardship both for our members and our union. Growing our assets both as individuals and as a union is a significant way to open doors and opportunities for all of us. I am proud to have successfully pushed for MERP participation at higher levels for Local 864, better investment choices for our deferred compensation plan members, creating an investor policy statement for Local 864, and more proactively investing Local 864’s assets. I look forward to similarly participating in the fiscal stewardship in our State Council.
How have your experiences with your local, the IAFF and WSCFF prepared you for this position?
I will draw on my background performing in a similar role in my Local, as well as having served as my Local’s Treasurer. I also have experience serving as a fiduciary on the joint City of Renton and Renton Regional Fire Authority deferred compensation plan board. I feel I know the WSCFF’s constitution and bylaws well, having served on many different committees at Convention as well as the Compensation Committee in 2022 and 2023, which sought to ensure fair, equitable and transparent compensation for our WSCFF board members.
What are your top priorities and goals as you step into this role?
My biggest priority is simply to make good on my commitment to the members to ensure the accounting of our resources is done with transparency, accuracy and integrity. I am excited to learn from John Gallup and Tom Reich, the other two Trustees who have been performing this work for our members for many years. I look forward to learning the organization’s policies and procedures well and seeing what ways I may offer suggestions to make our great organization even better.
What challenges do you anticipate in this position, and how do you plan to address them?
As with any new role, there is a learning curve. and this will be no different. Our Secretary-Treasurer Greg Markley is extremely knowledgeable and well-versed in his role, and I am certain he will be a huge help in understanding how financial statements and records are kept for the organization. As I said earlier, both Tom and John have long track records performing this work and I will lean on them both get up to speed.
Why is it important for fire fighters to engage with their union?
Whether at the local, state or federal level, policy makers make choices that affect our ability to do our jobs. However, we are the stakeholders that they need to hear from the most to make informed, astute, and appropriate decisions. Engaging with the union gives our members the ability to set unified goals that capture our members’ mutual best interest. It also allows for these goals to be communicated with policy makers in a manner that is unambiguous, lasting, and resolute.
What message would you like to share with WSCFF members as you begin this new chapter?
I am honored and grateful for the trust that the members have placed in me to serve them as a Trustee, thank you! I am ready to dive into the details and serve with accountability and dedication. I look forward to the mission to strengthen our Council and support our fire fighting community.
The WSCFF congratulates Robbie on his election as Trustee and looks forward to the contributions he will bring in the years ahead.