||| FROM DAVE ZOELLER for ORCAS HEALTH DISTRICT |||
OIHCD’s new Commissioner, Dave Zoeller
As surprising as it is even to me, I have lived on Orcas Island for nearly 50 years. Still, I’m not a native Washingtonian. I grew up in the Hoosier heartland and graduated from a small liberal arts college near the banks of the Ohio. My first taste of the West was working on the Robert Kennedy campaign in Oregon and California. That experience, despite the tragedy that ended it, was enough to convince me to see more of the West, and I was fortunate enough to be hired at Camp Nor’Wester on Lopez Island where I worked for five summers, falling in love with the San Juan Islands in the process.
My initial plan after college had been to teach, and I did receive a teaching degree from WWU and had taught at several schools in Seattle. On Orcas, I made my way working as the maintenance man on Crane Island and afterwards with Tex Beemer and Allen Minnis Construction.
My direction changed in 1982 when I took the EMT course on the island and joined Orcas Fire. When the department was looking to train several additional paramedics, I was ready to go back to school and spent the next 16 months commuting to Bellingham to attend class, do hospital rotations, and get more experience riding with medics at Bellingham Fire and at United General Hospital in Sedro Woolley. After being certified, I continued to ride with the United medics, realizing that due to the limited call volume on the island it would be quite a while until I felt proficient at the job. Eventually I took a full-time job at United and continued to cover my shifts on Orcas, which at that time meant carrying a pager and responding to calls, as we had no residence station.
Sometime in there I became a Senior EMT instructor and taught many classes over the years. Some of my students are still serving with the department, and I am extremely proud of their work and dedication. I also served as EMS supervisor for the department for quite a few years, preparing budgets, developing training, keeping records and maintaining the department’s certification with the Department of Health.
I retired at the ripe old age of 68—old for a medic; in fact, a co-worker found that he had been born on the same day I had received my paramedic certificate! Yes, it was time.
Now it seems time to get re-involved with health care on the island; I’m hoping to help make Orcas Primary Care a sustainable, transparent and responsive resource—OUR clinic: a great place to work, and a place we all feel cared for.
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We’re in good hands, Z. Thanks!
Dave is a Class Act. Congratulations to all!
Yay! Thank you Z
What good news! And ditto all the Thanks.
Thanks for taking this on, Z. You will be a valuable resource.
Z. Thanks for stepping up and doing this important work for the island. It has been great for me, as a fellow Hoosier, following in “your footsteps” as a local trained EMT then medic. I appreciate your commitment to the community.
There IS good news in the world! And this is the best. THANKS!!!!!
Bravo! Thanks for stepping up Z–You’ll be a valuable asset to the group.
Delighted to know Z is back at work on Orcas! I feel healthier already!
Thank you Dave, for past present and future care for Orcas Islanders.
So happy to read this, Z. Although I knew of your gifts first as a musician, I remember when you were doing your EMT training and your dedication to being the best you could be. Your longtime dedication to this community and your invaluable experience in serving it are wonderful qualifications, putting us at ease because we’ve known your integrity and good disposition, intelligence, openness, and fair mindedness – so badly needed in these times. Thank you for stepping up once again!
What terrific news! Thank you Z!