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Key Information about the District



Organized: 1950 under Title 52 Revised Code of Washington
Elected Board of Fire Commissioners: Bob Elliot, Mike Helland, and Kenon Simmons (District Secretary Paula Schuler)

Administrative Staff

Chief: Rusty Palmer
Assistant Chief/Special Services/Operations: Paul Busch
Deputy Chief/Resource Manager: Jon Beck
Deputy Chief/Training: Mike Cotton
Administrative Assistants: Paula Schuler and Vicki Lange
Emergency Phone Number: 9 1 1
Radio Frequency: Channel 1 = 154.430 Channel 2 = 154.75
Dispatch: I-COM
Board meets: 2nd Thursday each month, 5:30PM, Cameron Road Station
District Area: - 66 Sq. Miles, 54 Miles of shoreline
Station locations: #31-Freeland, #32-Clinton, #33-Maxwelton, #34-Langley, #35-Saratoga, #36-Bayview
Personnel Assignment: 14 members per station (Max.)
Firefighter/EMT's: 67 Members
South Whidbey Fire/EMS Volunteer Association: P.O. Box 1101, Freeland, WA 98249
Firefighters only Personnel: 25 Members
EMS only Personnel: 20 Members
District Population: Permanent = 14,000 Seasonal = 16,500 (est.) 9,940 Registered Voters
Assessed Valuation of property within District: $4,401,420,347.22
District Funding: Regular tax levy
Levy rate: $0.49 per $1,000 of assessed value
Emergency Apparatus: 9 Engines and 5 Water Tenders. The District also operates 1 Medical Support Vehicle, 1 Light-Rescue, 3 EMS Response Vehicles, 1 Rescue Boat, 1 personal watercraft, 3 support vehicles, 3 utility vehicles, and 5 staff vehicles.
Total Pumping Capacity: 11,250 GPM from rated engines and 3,000 GPM from rated tenders.
WSRB Fire Insurance Rating: Class 7, with hydrant credit on residential structures.

Washington State Audit

Click to Download: PDF File  About the State Auditor's Office
Click to Download: PDF File  Accountability Audit Report
Click to Download: PDF File  Financial Statments Audit Report

Customer Survey 2008-2009

Click to Download: PDF File Final Results

Emergency Medical System Evaluation

Click to Download: PDF File Final Report

Strategic Plan

Click to Download: PDF File Our Plan
Click to Download: PDF File Our Strategic Plan Timeline & Progress Report

Small Works Roster

Click to Download: PDF File 2011 Small Works Roster

2008 Fire in Washington

Click to Download: PDF File Annual Report

We are constantly reviewing and applying for federal grants to provide funding for additional equipment or services to help save our local taxpayers' money. Here is news on grants we've recently been awarded:

FEMA AWARDED A $147,246 SAFER GRANT TO Island County Fire District #3

SEATTLE - April 12th 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded a $147,246 'Staffing-for-Adequate-Fire-and-Emergency-Response' (SAFER) grant to the Island County Fire District #3. Nationally, the fiscal year (FY) 2007 AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, will ultimately provide over $490 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations throughout the country.

Click to Download: PDF File Press Release

FEMA PRESENTED A $269,155 GRANT TO Island County Fire District #3

SEATTLE - Federal Emergency Management Agency Deputy Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger presented a fire grant check for $269,155, as part of FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, to the Island County Fire District #3 on Whidbey Island, on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 3PM. The presentation was made at the Fire Station at 5535 Cameron Road in Freeland.

Click to Download: PDF File Press Release