Fear not, cost-conscious citizens of Orcas.

Orcas Island Fire Rescue has no plans of getting their own rescue boat anytime soon.

We legitimately explored the idea and that is a reasonable and responsible thing to do. We are in the process of creating a new Strategic Plan for the next five-year cycle, so it was even more important to address the pros and cons of securing our own means of transport off-island for the many days of winter; and those days where it is “clear as a bell” here but fogged in on the mainland.

The concept of the boat was discussed and put through a SWAT analysis. It was dropped at our staff meeting, as the first of numerous cuts that we decided to make to fulfill our promise of top quality emergency services with financial responsibility.

To give you an idea of the transports off the rock, I offer the following numbers:

In 2009 we sent 98 patients via Airlift Northwest. I do not have the rate where they were en-route but had to turn back or were not available for various reasons, usually weather. We sent one patient by the Coast Guard. We sent five patients by the US Navy, with a Medical Corpsman. We sent 11 by sheriff’s boat. Our own medical Program Director came over here more than once to personally receive the most critical of patients from Orcas. Know any other ER docs who will do that?

Bottom line, winter is coming. We have a phenomenal track record of getting folks to care. But the time may come when we just cannot get you to the mainland in a timely manner, due to circumstances beyond our control. That’s a reality one accepts when they choose to live on an island. If you have a serious and or unstable medical condition, winter on Orcas may not be the best place for you. It is our job to be as ready as possible to help and do the right thing.

If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Chief Harris or me.

Oh, and by the way, we are not getting a boat.

Patrick Shepler

Division Chief of Education & Training