fire department

Where do we go from here?

When I ran for the position of fire commissioner last year, I promised to do what I could to ensure that Vashon’s fire department would provide the best possible service at the best possible cost. I repeatedly said, however, that I could not achieve this goal alone.

I’m now asking Islanders to do their part to make sure that Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) provides the level of service they expect. In my opinion (and everything in this article is my personal opinion only, not that of the district or any other commissioner), we need two things from you right now: your advice and your service.

This is a critical time for the fire department. We are searching for a new fire chief. He or she will set the tone of the department and guide our direction in the upcoming years, so it’s important to get some guidance from you. What do you expect from your fire department?

That question seems like a no-brainer. The obvious answer is, “I expect the fire department to show up quickly when I call 911.”

But when you examine the history and dynamics of the Island, the question becomes more difficult. For example, we don’t have career firefighters stationed in Dockton or Tahlequah, and we don’t have the number of active volunteers in those areas that we used to, so if you live there and your home is on fire or someone in your family is having a heart attack or stroke, you may be waiting 15 to 20 minutes for a response from the main station. If it happens when there’s another emergency somewhere else at the same time, you may be waiting longer.

My personal opinion is that such a response time is unacceptable. However, I have heard from several people that if you choose to live in Dockton or Tahlequah, you don’t have the right to expect a quick response in the event of an emergency and will just have to live with your decision if your home catches on fire.

If this is the way people who live in those outlying areas feel, then perhaps we don’t need to focus on trying to increase the number of volunteers who live in those areas.

Perhaps we don’t need to investigate potential new stations or residency programs that would allow firefighters to always have a presence in those areas. But I suspect that not everyone agrees that Dockton and Tahlequah deserve an inferior level of service. Either way, we’d like to hear your opinions.

The second thing we need is your service. Our department cannot function without volunteers, but the changes that have taken place on the Island have resulted in a decline in the number of volunteers.

I would ask all Islanders to consider putting in some time with the department. For those who have the flexibility with their schedules, particularly those who do not commute off the Island, I would urge you to consider the volunteer firefighter or EMT programs. It’s not as difficult as you might think, and you may find that it’s the best thing you ever did.

Those aren’t the only options, however. If you’re between the ages of 15 and 21, you can join the VIFR Explorer program. We also now have a group of “support” volunteers who are not required to receive the same level of training as the firefighters and EMTs, but are trained to assist on-scene in other ways, including driving the rigs to the scene of an incident and performing a variety of support functions at the scene.

The deadline for applications for the next support training is May 9. Whatever level of commitment you can offer, Vashon Island Fire & Rescue can use your help. Call 463-4466 to find out what you can do.

The Vashon fire department has been experiencing some growing pains over the last few years, and we may not be done yet. But with your help, VIFR will be the fire department that we all expect and deserve. Thank you for your support.

We need to know what you think so that we can properly set our goals and, with the help of the new fire chief, begin moving toward those goals.

Whether it’s me or someone else, I urge you to contact your fire commissioners and tell them what you think about any aspect of the department.

— Neal Philip is on the Vashon Island Fire & Rescue board of commissioners. Contact him at nealphilip@yahoo.com.