Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Eastound Fire Hall
From Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (OIFR)
One of the most critical issues that Orcas Island Fire and Rescue is currently evaluating is how to address our participation in the public safety grant the Sheriff has secured for a new emergency response vessel. The question of how we should be involved in this program has inspired other questions regarding our services. On Thursday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall, OIFR will be hosting our second Town Hall Meeting to ask our public to comment on our possible participation in the operational and maintenance expenses of the sheriff’s boat. At this time there are two options:
- Join a countywide Marine Operations Users Group that is estimated to cost OIFR just over $25,000 pre year.
- Pay per use, which is proposed to cost $6,500 per transport.
From 2007 through 2012, OIFR has used the Sheriff’s boat 44 times to transport patients to hospitals off island when the weather prohibits aeromedical transport. (An average of 7.3 transports per year.)
The Sheriff’s boat has also been used transporting OIFR emergency personnel to other islands and surrounding waters for emergency assistance.
We also want to know whether and to what extent the Fire District should provide or pay for services outside of the district’s boundaries.
We want to know your thoughts regarding our service of providing medical transport to the mainland, marine search and rescue operations and assistance to other islands whose residents do not provide financial support to any fire district.
The Commission also seeks comment on whether and to what extent the District should seek reimbursement for any of the services mentioned above and explore billing systems.
Your input is important to us. Please attend the meeting on Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall. The meeting minutes for our January meeting can be found on our website at orcasfire.org. For questions regarding this meeting please contact Chief Kevin O’Brien at 376-2331.
