The Ocean Shores firefighters union has made its endorsements for Ocean Shores City Council.

The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2109 sent a questionnaire to the candidates and came up with its endorsements, which were announced Monday.

“We make our endorsements based not only on a candidate’s alignment with our core issues, but also on their ability to be effective leaders in the community once the election is over and the real work of governing begins,” read the union statement.

Endorsements went to Eric Noble for City Council Position 1, Lisa Scott for City Council Position 5; and Rich Hartman for City Council Position 7 in the upcoming Nov. 2 general election.

“We believe it is imperative for our City Council to be informed on the public safety needs of our community,” said the statement from the union. “The questions we presented to the candidates focused on public safety, the safety of our members, and the ability to recruit and retain highly trained employees.”

Noble is the challenger in Position 1, facing incumbent Susan Conniry. Noble is currently a Position 7 City Councilman, who challenged Conniry in Position 1 this year.

Scott is the Position 5 incumbent, appointed to the position earlier this year. She has been Aberdeen’s community development director for 15 years. Her opponent is Patrick Daugherty, an Air Force veteran and community volunteer who retired to Ocean Shores three years ago.

Hartman founded Five Star Dealerships in the late 1990s. He earned just shy of 45% of the primary vote among three candidates. His opponent in Position 7 is Patric Hayes, a software consultant and developer who retired to Ocean Shores in 2015.

“We respond to the calls of our people every day, at all times of the day, knowing these moments may be the worst day of our citizen’s lives,” said the union statement. “Supporting this community in a time of need drives our membership to perform amazing tasks, including providing care during an ongoing and dangerous pandemic. We have to be ready to meet the challenge of any emergency our community encounters.”

The union believes it’s critical for City Council members to understand the safety and health needs of its constituency.

“Understanding the public safety needs of this community is paramount to the City Council. We look for candidates that are committed to listening to the voices that are hard to hear for the betterment of this community,” said the union. “And we know that the right candidate will need to make tough financial choices in order to save lives. These are just some of the responsibilities we place on our council.”