Seattle deputy fire chief found dead in Cliffdell area, officials say

KITTITAS COUNTY, Wash. — After an extensive search, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Seattle Fire Department deputy chief Jay Schreckengost was found dead on Sunday afternoon.

Schreckengost’s body was found in the Cliffdell area, about a half-mile from the spot where his pickup truck was parked on the day he went hunting, officials said.

He was reported missing nearly two weeks ago.

Sixty different agencies and organizations assisted in the search for the fire deputy chief.

According to deputies, preliminary evidence indicates there was no suspicious activity or foul play involved.

The Kittitas County coroner will determine the cause and manner of Schreckengost’s death.

After the Seattle Fire Department learned of his death, officials said :

“This evening, we learned that Seattle Fire Deputy Chief Jay Schreckengost was found deceased in the Cliffdell area where the search has been focused. We are incredibly saddened by this news and are all grieving the loss of one of our own. Deputy Chief Schreckengost was a husband, father and friend to all, and our hearts are with his family right now who have been at the site every day searching alongside search and rescue, fire and law enforcement agencies.

Over the past 12 days since Jay was first reported missing, more than 60 different agencies and 160 SFD members responded to the site, determined to find our beloved member.

We want to acknowledge the tremendous support of the Kittitas County Sheriff in leading the effort to find Jay. They, along with all of the technical teams and search and rescue volunteers, conducted an extensive search that led to today’s discovery. We are grateful, too, for the support of businesses, who provided food and lodging and set up critical radio and cellular networks, and members of the community.

While the outcome is not what we would have hoped, we know that this will bring closure to Jay’s family, friends and colleagues.”

Kittitas County Sheriff Clay Meyers stated:

“We’re saddened to give news of Chief Schreckengost’s passing to his family and fellow firefighters, and we ask the public and press to respect their privacy as they grieve his loss. We also want to thank everyone who participated in or supported this search. It was a tremendous outpouring of resources and effort that produced a vital result: a family knows what happened to their loved one and he can be brought home to them.”

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