||| FROM AMANDA MONTAGUE |||
Over the course of many months, much has been said about the toxicity occurring at OIFR and the utter failure by OIFR leadership and the Commission to correct course and make the Department a workplace that feels safe for our first responders. It has been challenging to present all of the facts that have been known by some of us given the amount of time the Department takes to simply respond to public record requests and the retaliation that has been occurring for career first responders in speaking out about what has been happening.
As a former OIFR Commissioner who cares deeply about the Department and the people Orcas relies on for emergency services, I have been appalled by the lack of concern shown to the serious allegations that have been raised appropriately through the chain of command. I have also been disappointed by the way that the OIFR Commissioners (excluding Commissioner Shepler) and OIFR leadership have handled these complaints, and truly taken aback by the tone and tenure of the personal texts and emails received by those in the community who have dared to speak up.
Since the beginning of this year, two long-standing OIFR paramedic/firefighters have chosen to leave the Department because of the hostile and toxic work environment. Within the last week, a third EMT/firefighter has put in her resignation for the very same reason. We all know these individuals. They are good and honorable people who have served the Orcas community with integrity and professionalism. Their attempts to address these issues internally were met with silence and in some cases with public shaming. Regardless, career first responders are leaving the Department and for good reason. And while the fact that they are leaving should be troubling and concerning, the reasons behind their departures need to be understood.
While there are still many more public records requests waiting to be answered, a request I put in last December has finally come through (see below for the full text of the documents that were provided by OIFR). The documents can speak for themselves, and I would encourage everyone to read them. They are difficult and upsetting to read, but necessary in order to gain an understanding of how deeply dysfunctional OIFR has become.
The information contained in these documents has been known by the OIFR Commission, Chief Williams and Assistant Chief vanSchaick since December 2021. The individual who is outlined in the complaints was put on paid leave for a few months, and then welcomed back to serve as a member of the Department under the current leadership and Commission. One of the individuals who filed a complaint is now leaving the Department herself.
While those of us who have been ringing the alarm bells publicly about what has been happening at OIFR have nothing to complain about compared to the members of the Department, the continual vitriol directed towards those who have spoken up is indicative of how toxic OIFR has become. True leadership takes criticism and concerns and makes a good faith effort in trying to address the problems that have been identified. What has been happening for over six months now is the absolute opposite of that.
Longstanding volunteers within the Department and members of the community who have simply dared to ask questions about what is going on have been met not only with resistance, but with outright hostility. Former Commissioner Wes Heinmiller, who slandered long serving members and volunteers of the OIFR community at his last OIFR Commission meeting in December, as recently as yesterday referred to those of us speaking out about the problems as a “gang,” “small minded,” “ill-informed” and most misogynistically as “the Harper Valley PTA.” This nonsense needs to end. Those of us raising concerns are doing so on behalf of the very people that the community relies on to provide the most important services in times of crisis. There is nothing for any of us to gain, but for a healthy OIFR and a team of professionals that feel respected and feel heard. I’m optimistic there will be more who will join us our call for changes in OIFR leadership and in oversight.
ATTACHMENTS:
The OIFR board and leadership have utterly failed our community. If they had any self awareness about themselves they would each resign immediately. Instead because of their extreme short sightedness and self interest, we will have to wait to vote them out one by one and pray that enough of our volunteers and paid staff hold on long enough to make it to the transition to a department that treats the organization’s most valuable resource like human beings.
The things that have come to light about this organization are truly disturbing. The members of this community preaching civility and ignoring the horrendous behavior of OIFR are enabling some of the worst work place misconduct I have ever heard of. Keep putting your heads in the sand as we lose droves of valuable employees and volunteers. Decades of collective first responder experience flushed down the drain to appease the egos of a select few who should never have been put in charge of a lemonade stand, while community members stand around the smouldering rubble of our first response system shouting ‘Nothing to see here!’
Shame. Shame. Shame.
Resign now, please.
Mr. Stamper,
Your letter spoke for me. It is so disappointing to watch this F D Chief and Board (not fire fighters) behave in such an alienating and unprofessional way. I’m thinking we are dealing with the lack of knowledge/ability which is tough for all concerned… particularly the public being served.
Is it possible to recall a member(s) of this board instead of waiting until the next election?
A hearty thank you to Henry Stamper for being a consistent masculine voice in the ‘wilderness of feminine hysteria! ‘ LOL.
So let me understand this: Amanda Montague asked for a Records Request in Dec. 2021, and did not get the records until mid-late April, 2022? That is illegal and it is obstruction.
This lays out records requests and what can be requested. Any taxing district has up to 5 business days to respond to a records request (and/or fill it if it’s simple)- and up to 21 business days to fill records requests. They can charge for paper and ink, up to 15 cents a page. They can’t charge for the Records officer’s time spent – this is part of the duties of every taxing district.
https://www.atg.wa.gov/obtaining-records#response
As for recall; this lays out the conditions of what is malfeasance and what to do to initiate a recall.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=29A.56.110
At any rate, it’s time to start preparing for elections and to be sure we have candidates who will run on transparency, restoring good morale to the Dept,.. things like that.
The underlying problems at Orcas Fire are obvious. What is being ignored is the dire situation that the district is in financially due mostly in part to the mismanagement of our dollars by this board. I don’t see a way that they can get by without asking for an early levy increase this year. Since this board is ensconced for the next few years when (not if) they ask for more money a “no” vote will be the only way to show our displeasure with their shenanigans.
Orcas Fire has enjoyed voter support since the 1999 levy (to build the new station) failed initially. It made the district tighten its belt and become more responsive to the people that pay the bill. They will try to scare you but a “no” vote will not destroy their response capabilities but instead hold them accountable.
Unfortunately, the Orcas Fire documents page shows “This folder is empty” and when you click on “financials”!
I missed it the first time reading Amanda’s letter. Please read the two attachments at the bottom of the letter – they might not be noticeable the first time through. I am sickened, alarmed, and afraid that one of our best EMTs was subjected to this kind of bullying and harrassment. I am ready, with other like-minded people, to take action/. Something HAS to be done. We cannot sit on our hands and allow this to keep happening.