||| FROM PATRICK SHEPLER, BOFC-elect |||
Orcas Island Fire Chief, Scott Williams, has been without an Assistant Chief since he took the position over five years ago. The Board of Fire Commissioners (BOFC) have announced in numerous meetings, that they are actively searching to fill this long-vacant critical position.
Today, the BOFC selection committee will be interviewing their two top candidates, providing a tour of the island, and a brief opportunity to meet some department members. They will then announce their choice, offering the position of Assistant Fire Chief, and likely future heir apparent to the rank of Fire Chief.
The Chief should have been supported years ago by an experienced Command Staff Officer.
Now picking a candidate without stakeholder input from the community, volunteers and paid staff, or even the medical director is most concerning. It does not represent transparent governance.
The Orcas Island community has always been a vital step in the selection process for all past Chiefs, and also previous Paramedic selections. This is the community’s fire department. They should have a voice. The community is the reason the department exists.
I think the community should be invited to meet two candidates, and ask their questions; with the understanding that the final choice remains with the Board. That Is the Island Way.
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Going back to the last twenty years, how often did we have an Assistant Chief ? I remember when under Chief Harris, the department was looking at appointing a volunteer and the public was against the cost to the department !
Under Chief O’Brien we did have an Assistant Chief for part of his term. Since the station is currently closed to the public, it makes it hard to have a public meeting ?
I agree; since the OIFR is intimately involved with the health o
our residents, the residents should have a chance to meet the candidates and have a say in the choice. I see no great diff in having perhaps a meet & greet at the library, for example.
This choice is vital, as the Choef makes many decisions affecting the quality of care, responders, staffing decisions etc.
If your spouse called 911 because you were experiencing a life threatening medical emergency, wouldn’t you like to know and have a voice in who had your life in their hands? When that call was made for me, and I was airlifted to Bellingham, I know it was important to me. Of course we should have an opportunity to meet and question candidates for Asst. Chief.
This is a far cry from when the Fire Department had a public meeting in Deer Harbor to discuss the new fire station. Then the discussion was opened by a Commissioner stating that ”We are having a public meeting because we have to but we have already made up our minds’ It looks like the right candidate was elected. There should be meaningful pubic input on an assistant chief.