Orcas hires two paramedics

The Orcas Island Fire Department now has its full complement of paramedics, having recently hired Jeff Larson and Mike Toscano. The pair come to Orcas with plenty of experience, including service on the MedFlight helicopter between the San Juans and Bellingham.

They join Dave Zoeller, restoring Orcas’ staff of paramedics to three. Larson and Toscano replace Jim Prades, who was terminated from the department last November, and Mike Damoth, who resigned March 1.

The two new paramedics have been asked to serve the fire department until the end of the year, and perhaps even longer. Nevertheless, they are officially listed as temporary hires. That listing will remain in effect until the fire department comes up with a long-term paramedic staffing plan.

Development of such a plan has been put on hold for the next few months, while fire commissioners devote the bulk of their attention to finding a new chief.

In other fire department news:

Commissioners have reason to believe that they’re going to get a worthy successor to Chief Gary Bennett. “Some very talented people desire to work here,” Commissioner Clyde Duke said, noting that the department has already received about 30 inquiries from prospective candidates,

Duke, who is overseeing the search for a new chief, made a report to fire commissioners at a meeting on March 9.

He also reported that virtually all of the potential successors to Bennett are asking two questions: “How much does the job pay?” and “What is the board like?”

The salary of the future chief has yet to be determined. Consultant Steve Garrison advised the commissioners to leave that question unanswered for the time being, contending that it will prevent some excellent candidates from applying.

Duke found it significant that the candidates want to know about the board. “Most people who are interested are doing their homework,” he said.

No deadline has yet been set for applications for the chief’s job.

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