News

A critical emergency communications project launched this week in San Juan County. A collaboration between San Juan County, Fire and EMS agencies, the Sheriff’s Office and Public Works, the project gained strong support from residents across all islands when placed on the February 2020 ballot as a sales tax increase as a means of funding […]

Orcas Island Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a container fire in the transfer station area at the Exchange around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 13th. Smoke and flames visible from Orcas Road prompted a call to fire personnel, who arrived to find a working fire located inside the 48-foot steel shipping container housed on

Thanks to the generosity of San Juan Island EMT Association and the San Juan Island community, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue has received 150 Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors to distribute to residential homes in need. The detectors were acquired as part of a community fundraising effort launched by a Friday Harbor family after two residents

After an intense 12-months immersed in the University of Washington Harborview Medical Center Paramedic training program, Alex Conrad has returned to serve the community with Orcas Island Fire and Rescue as a paramedic. The world-renowned program is known for high-standard education, quality instruction, and unbeatable hands-on opportunities. “I was able to gain incredible patient contact

A communications outage left San Juan County Dispatch unable to hail Orcas Island Fire and Rescue personnel for several minutes during a double search and rescue effort on Mount Constitution Saturday night. The OIFR frequency went down following a power outage while rescue crews were on the mountainside attempting to locate a total of three

A new ambulance is on the frontlines of Orcas Island Fire and Rescue’s emergency response fleet. Originally slated to roll out early this year, getting the ambulance outfitted and ready for service was delayed due to COVID-19. After battling issues with aging vehicles, repeated mechanical failures and increasingly costly repairs, the agency was in desperate

Orcas Fire responded Sunday to reports of a wildland fire that resulted from a residential burn pile spreading out of control after a fuel can that was being used to accelerate the fire ignited. The small wildland fire was extinguished quickly. The homeowner then received education against using accelerants and was further reminded that residential

An Orcas Island family is safe and their home mostly unscathed after their dishwasher caught fire Wednesday morning.  The homeowner, who was sleeping in an adjacent room, was alerted to the fire when smoke detectors sounded throughout the home.  With a quick call to 9-1-1, the homeowner then safely extinguished the fire. Orcas Island Firefighters

Orcas Island Fire and Rescue would like to thank the community for the actions everyone is taking to help support community needs. In addition to social distancing measures, those who have been able to help provide food, shelter and other daily needs have also helped to reduce the possibility of a medical or other emergency