As 2021 winds down, South Whidbey Fire/EMS recently recognized staff and volunteers for their service to the department in 2020. The department also said farewell to three retirees: Chris Blasko with 22 years of service, Eldon Baker with 26 years of service, and Jim Towers with 35 years of service on the line. Towers transitioned in November to serve as a Fire Commissioner.

We hope that you all have a safe and happy holiday sea-son. We’ve all experienced many changes in the last two years, some personally, some professionally. Your fire department is no different.

It’s not too early to start embracing the spirit of the upcoming holiday season. A tradition since 1995, due to the pandemic last year, Santa’s Sleigh was reimagined. This year the team at South Whidbey Fire/EMS has once again devised a safe and streamlined way for the South Whidbey community to experience Santa’s Sleigh. The drive-thru event extends for several hours on three consecutive evenings…

South Whidbey Fire/EMS welcomes new fire commissioners Savannah Erickson and Jim Towers. Erickson was elected to Position 3 during the Nov. 2 general election, and will be sworn in at the Jan. 13, 2022 fire commissioner meeting.

Due to the increase in fuel moisture levels and a return to more typical seasonal weather patterns, the Fire Marshal will lift the ban on outdoor burning in Island County as of midnight tonight (September 30, 2021).

OUTDOOR BURN BAN
IN ISLAND COUNTY
MODIFIED / RETURN TO
TYPE I BURN BAN IN EFFECT

South Whidbey Fire/EMS Commissioner Mike Noblet was elected chairman at the Sept. 9, 2021. Previous Commission Chair Larry Metz resigned since he is relocating outside of the district this month, making him ineligible to serve.

For the first time since its formation in 1950, South Whidbey Fire/EMS will consistently have a full time crew on duty 24 hours a day. The addition of four full time firefighter/EMTs brings the total to 12. They are grouped into three shifts of four people. Each shift is on duty for 24 hours, followed by 48 hours off. The new staffing begins on August 1.

AS OF 4:00 PM, JULY 15, 2021

As is true for everyone, this has been a challenging year for us. We greatly appreciate the care and concern that you have shown us as we all have coped with the COVID pandemic. We also appreciate the steps you have taken to protect yourselves, which makes our job easier.

OUTDOOR BURN BAN IN ISLAND COUNTY
AS OF 12:00 NOON, JUNE 30, 2021

We will be having a Live Fire Training event all day Thursday, June 24, 2021. This event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Firefighters will be practicing their firefighting skills with an acquired structure and live fire, after lunch the firefighters will allow the fire to consume the building. The address of the site is 5661 Harbor Ave, Freeland WA 98249. The public is welcome to watch from a…

At 7:27 PM on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, South Whidbey Fire/EMS was called for a seal caught in a storm drain near Old Beach Road in the Mutiny Bay area.  Responders from South Whidbey Fire/EMS, Island County Sheriff’s Office, Langley Police Department, and the Orca Network arrived to find a young Elephant Seal trapped in a vault of a storm water drainage system in the lawn of a condominium complex.

South Whidbey Fire/EMS seeks a new fire commissioner to fill Position 3, to be vacated by Frank Mestemacher at the end of the year. Mestemacher recently announced he is not seeking re-election after completion of his six-year term, which ends December 31, 2021.

We continue to be grateful that you allow us to serve you. Our emergency responders, volunteer and career, continue to do a great job of protecting our community and themselves when they go on calls. I also want to recognize our Administra-tive staff who all work very hard to ensure our department runs smoothly. I am proud of each of our hard working members.

South Whidbey Fire/EMS hired three new staff members in January by configuring its team to be more cost effective and efficient. The department filled one vacancy and created two new positions, bringing in-house critical services it historically contracted to outside vendors.