The Patos Lighthouse was established in 1893 as a light station. In 1958 the original light keepers quarters were replaced with a 3300 square foot wood frame building as the Coast Guard Station crew quarters. The lighthouse was manned until 1974, when the light was automated. The buildings were subsequently abandoned. Over the years many of the outbuilding structures were removed. Typical winter weather and roof damage caused the building to become a serious safety hazard. In 2005, the Bureau of Land Management gained possession of Patos Island and contracted the Orcas Fire & Rescue for the removal of the Coast Guard building.
The BLM cleared much of the heavy vegetation from around the building throughout the summer and then worked with the fire department to create and fund the building removal. The window for this project was very limited - after the danger for wildland fires, after tourist season, and before eagle nesting season, plus the factoring of tidal considerations and weather - leaving only October thru December of that year.
Orcas Fire contracted the landing craft “Pintail” and transported an excavator, Brush Engine 21 with its 300 gallons of water plus a 4-wheel drive pick-up for additional gear to Patos Island. Washington State Parks boats and Sheriff Bill Cummings transported district members, gear and equipment by boat.
Firefighters arrived on Friday morning, November 11th to preparation for the actual burn. Every precaution was taken to insure the building was completely removed without further damage to the surrounding land. 18 district members worked together with excavator operator Jason Maderios (also a firefighter) to prep the site, prepare the building and set-up training/burn operations for the event.
The training began at dark to take advantage of the high humidity and low winds minimizing any possible fire spread. Both the Coast Guard and Sheriff’s dispatch had been notified of the planned burn to reassure the public. The Orcas Fire & Rescue stayed on site overnight. The building was gone to the foundation by dawn as planned. Then Jason went about the process of carefully cleaning, leveling the site and working towards returning it to a more natural state.
Working with BLM land restoration/preservation professionals, we mapped out an on-going stewardship based project. The objective: to restore the land back to the way it was when the light station arrived and then maintain that state. A one-day work party was held the following spring. On March 25, 2006 eleven volunteers carefully raked and then seeded with native grasses. Pathways and the original sidewalks were cleared. The Lighthouse itself was given a careful cleaning. And the Patos Island Fire Department was born.
On October 7-8, 2006 a second overnight work event was attended by 25 department members and their families. It was sponsored by Municiple Emergency Services. This event commemorated the Patos Island Fire Dept. and members were initiated into the newly formed “brotherhood.” Heavy thickets of non-native blackberry and wild rose were removed as well as small fir trees that had begun to crowd the meadow area. A third one-day work party followed up with site rehab to insure erosion factors had been mitigated. Federal, State and Local agencies now worked together to protect and preserve the island and it’s history. A follow-up visit 3 days later brought 3 more volunteers to do more brush removal and site repair.
The 3rd over-night work party was sponsored by Northwest Fire Services and attended by 23 volunteers. Work continued work clearing trails and meadow restoration. A storm damaged out house was rebuilt and re-roofed plus a picnic area was rebuilt. A follow-up 5-days later continued the meadow work with 7 more volunteers.
An early fall event was cancelled due to weather but the Patos Island Fire Department returned at the end of May, 2008 with 9 more volunteers to continue work – this time along side the crews restoring the lighthouse. While the PIFD worked the land, the lighthouse building received its new exterior paint. Although the Patos Island Fire Department was unable to attend the 100th birthday celebration, they will continue to protect, preserve and work to celebrate their adopted island. Watch for coming events.
The Patos Island Fire Department mission statement: To work for the restoration and preservation of Patos Island.
We are working with both Washington State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management in an on-going stewardship based project. Our membership pays for its own work parties. Any funding raised is used to sponsor the next work event. Our volunteers donate time, labor, a long-term commitment and the “love of Patos Island”.
Current membership
Chief Mike Harris
Officers (4 shifts or more)
Rick Anda, State Forrester Vicki Christiansen, Jack DeLisle, Jeff Jones, Max Jones, Jason Maderios, Dave Mowrey, Bob Nutt, Liam Nutt, Perry Pruett, Ted Schlund, Yvonne & Steve Smith
Firefighters (2-3 shifts)
Irene Anda, Dave Banks, Bruce Brackett, Bob Deines, Lance Evans, Alicia Harris, Chad Kimple, Philo Lund, Sherry Maderios, Valerie Moriarty, Nikki ONeill, Jenny Pedersen, Jim Scheib, Joanne Schlund, Jim Schuh, Roy Stanton, Nic Teague and Mike Turner
New Crew (1 shift or less)
Julie Brackett, Gregg Bronn & Family, Dave Castor – Skipper, Carl Coburn and son, Bill Cummings – Skipper, Chris Dorehty, Blythe Hirst, Steve Hussey, Sean Moriarty, Bob Phalan and son, Lesley & Cassy Preysz , Julie Remington, Cameron Schuh, the late Denise Stanton, Paul Turner, Mark VanMaren and son, Dacia Youngren, Eric Youngren, David & Coleen Weyte and Buddy & Amanda Wright.
Total Volunteer Hours: 333