Here’s to the folks who keep the island running.

From the Dockton Water Association operators in this week’s Beachcomber, who scrambled to find a gallon-guzzling leak — to the good-spirited Septic Sisters volunteers in an earlier March edition, who have pledged to help islanders solve sewage situations — to the Puget Sound Energy (PSE) crews who felled trees and restored lines in the midst of this winter’s stormy cold snap.

Their jobs — technical, detailed and sometimes smelly — often go unseen, but their work keeps the lights on, the faucets flowing, and the toilets flushing.

Vashon has no lack of challenges, and it can be easy to feel like everything is falling down — that we’re fraying apart, our challenges are mounting, and boy, the general election season has barely even started.

But the fact that we are able to even have these important debates, face these challenges and puzzle over the island’s future is all because, for the most part, things do work around here. And we care enough to want things to work even better.

If only the rest of our problems could be solved with shovels, wrenches and elbow grease.

As a way of thanks, seriously consider what these professionals have to say: Learn how your utilities work. Map them out, and see if you have any areas that could pose problems in a few years or in an emergency. Help your neighbors or housemates do the same. Every week, we publish advice from VashonBePrepared helping you expect the unexpected.

It’s practical, mundane advice. But it’s true: an attitude of preparedness, a knowledge of your environment, and a bit of luck will keep many headaches away.