Fire Commission Oversees Department’s Continued Growth

— by Susan McBain, Orcas Issues Reporter —

The professionalism and enthusiasm of Orcas Fire & Rescue (OIFR) volunteers is impressive, the department is making progress on its administrative improvements, and the overall financial picture for the year is good. Those were the main take-away messages from the Board of Fire Commissioners (BOFC) meeting on Aug. 20.

Commissioners Tim Fuller and Jim Helminski and Fire Chief Scott Williams all commented on the high level of recent performance by the department’s volunteers and their growing involvement in department activities. Williams noted that has begun assigning oversight responsibilities for aspects of the department’s operation to some volunteers, based on their levels of involvement and interest.

The department is continuing to review and adapt administrative policies, based on model policies published by professional firefighting groups. The process includes an opportunity for review of each proposed policy by all members of the department, edits by Williams and the BOFC’s Policy subcommittee, another review by senior staff, and final edits before the policy is presented to the full BOFC for approval. A group of 16-17 policies will be presented soon, and Williams hopes to complete up to 10 per month going forward. Helminski commented that clear written policies are essential to provide consistent guidance to volunteers and staff.

A budget amendment passed at the previous meeting updated the 2018 budget to include additional funds available of about $507,000 and additional planned expenses of about $80,000. Adjusting for the budget changes, and with almost 54% of the year gone by, OIFR’s overall revenues for the period were 76% of the budgeted total for the year and its overall expenses were 55% of the budgeted total. Expenses for training have been higher than budgeted because the department held two training academies this year, one for firefighters and one for EMTs. Most other expense categories were at or below expected levels. Work on the 2019 budget, due in November, will begin soon.

Calls to the department in July were down slightly from last year, but calls for the year are running about 100 more than last year, continuing the pattern of the last several years. About 70% of calls are for rescue and emergency medical service incidents. Overlapping calls this year were about 31% of total calls, up from 27% for the same period last year. Williams noted that so far, the occurrence of overlapping calls has not caused serious problems, but Fuller expressed concern at the possibility. Williams noted that he had informed the Orcas Island Health Care District commissioners about the problem of overlapping calls, and that he and Dr. Michael Sullivan, OIFR’s Medical Program Director, will be working with them on how District operations might improve the situation in the future.

The next regular BOFC meeting will be held on Monday, September 17, at 5:30 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Station.