Clyde Duke’s Response to Orcas Issues Questions for Fire District Commissioner Candidates

Clyde Duke

Orcas Issues asked candidates for elective races to respond to questions. Candidates for the Orcas Fire District Position #2 Duff Andrews and Clyde Duke are featured today.

Their answers originally ran in the August primary election, and are the same questions that were asked of Fire District candidates Barbara Bedell and Pierrette Guimond.

For further information on each candidate, contained in the Official Voters Guide, go to the official San Juan County website:

https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/sanjuan/Pages/OnlineVotersGuide_20091103.aspx

Readers will be able to refer back to the candidates’ answers on previous days by typing their name in the “Search” window at the top of the website.

1) What in your experience and vision brings you to put yourself forth as a candidate for the three-member Orcas Fire District Commissioner’s position?

I have over a decade of fire dept involvement as a volunteer, officer, VP and President of the Firefighter’s Assoc. and currently as a commissioner.  I have served as chairman of the board for 3 years and had the leadership positions in the chief search and the fire level of service for the strategic plan.  These experiences combined with over 30 years of successful business ownership have made me keenly aware of the importance of operations and sound financial practices.

2) What do you consider the most important responsibilities of the Commissioners? Please state your unique contributions in fulfilling those responsibilities, including the number of hours you envision working as a Commissioner, both in and outside of public meetings?

The most important role of the commissioner is to govern, not manage the organization.  The difference is – governance creates the infrastructure for short and long term objectives, while management takes care of the daily operations.  My contributions to this board have been to facilitate the strategic plan’s successful implementation and a sound financial infrastructure.  The public meetings require about 6 hours month and I expect to spend a minimum of 12 hours a month outside of meetings working on special projects plus I help with the Volunteer Association’s pancake breakfasts.

3) The Fire District levy expires in 2014 – please comment on the levy status, if you foresee a new levy happening before 2014, what needs to be accomplished before the current levy expires, and what a new levy should look like.

If the commission stays on the current track as established in the strategic plan we, by the end of 2014, will have accomplished all of the objectives mandated by the levy and will have $500,000 left in reserve.

4) According to current Fire Chief Mike Harris, the District’s Strategic Plan of 2005 focused on three areas: 1) updating Fire Dept. equipment and stations; 2) installing fulltime paramedics and cross-training volunteers in both EMS and firefighting roles; 3) improving communication within the Fire Department and with the public. Please comment on the implementation of those plans, if you see the need for revisiting that strategic plan and/or forming a new strategic plan, and what you see as the essential considerations in a new strategic plan.

By the end of 2009 we will have in service one all wheel drive ambulance, 2- 2800- gal water tenders, 4 all wheel drive multi-use fire apparatus, and 1 rescue rig which completes the apparatus purchase mandates of the strategic plan.  By the end of 2014 the station in Eastsound will be paid in full.  The new Deer Harbor station is scheduled to be completed and paid for by the end of 2010.  Eighty-five percent of the improvements scheduled on the other stations have been completed.

Six years ago the paramedic contract allowed paramedics to be at work at a second job while actively on duty (ex.  Job in Doe Bay, call in Deer Harbor – which severely affected response time) Now we have at least one fully engaged 24/7 paramedic based in Eastsound giving us immediate response. High level cross trained volunteers and a duty shift program have improved the quality and response times from our volunteers.

By adopting a health and wellness program for our volunteers we’re actively supporting their well being while minimizing their health risks.  With online training the volunteers can train at home then prove their knowledge with hands on training at the drills.  Each volunteer is outfitted with the proper gear including hand held two-way radios for safety and communication and all EMT’S with defibrillators.

The department has developed an active web site with access to the Board of Fire Commissioners, news and minutes of past meetings plus public education.  Weekly the dept. communicates with its members, paid and volunteer, through the Friday updates.

The Strategic Plan was based on state requirements for apparatus, the state ratings bureau, a professionally administered focus group study and three strategic planning committees (fire, emergency medical and communications) comprised of community members, volunteers and staff.  I am confident that this well thought out plan is helping us achieve the objectives of the levy lid lift mandates.

5) Other county taxing district boards have declined increases to their stipends. Do you see a need for this or other cost-cutting measures in your assessment of the financial situation of the district?

I and others have declined taking a stipend and the current chief waived salary increases in support of cost containment measures.

6) If you were to communicate one message to the voting public regarding your service as Fire District Commissioner, what would that be?

I’ve been honored to be a representative of the community to the department.