Board of Fire Commissioners

Meeting Schedule

Regular meetings are held monthly:

  • Fourth Monday of each month

  • 3:00 PM

  • Location: Eastsound Fire Station, 45 Lavender Lane

  • Open to the public

Holiday Schedule: If a meeting falls on a holiday, it moves to the following business day.

Virtual Attendance: All meetings are available via Zoom for remote viewing.

Meeting Documents

Board packets are available the Friday before each meeting and include:

  • Meeting agendas

  • Previous meeting minutes

  • Resolutions and proposals

  • Supporting documentation

Access documents: Visit our online document repository.

Contact the Board

Email the full board: bofc@orcasfire.org
(Board Secretary will forward to all commissioners)

Contact individual commissioners: Use the direct contact information provided in their individual biographies below.

Questions about meetings or documents? Call the main station at (360) 376-2331 during business hours.

Public Participation

All regular and special meetings are open to the public. Community members are welcome to attend in person at the fire station or join remotely via Zoom.

Meeting materials are posted in advance so you can review agenda items before attending.

Members of the public who wish to submit public comment to be read at the meeting may do so via email to bofc@orcasfire.org, up until 4pm the day of the meeting.

Please read our new procedure on hybrid Zoom meetings here.

Financial Statements Audit Report 2022-2023
Accountability Audit Report 2022-2023

  • Elected November 2023

    Brian Ehrmantraut was elected to a four-year term in November 2023.  Brian moved full-time to Orcas in 1999 after a career in science and engineering in Silicon Valley to raise his daughter here in a more engaged and connected community. He has volunteered with OIFR since 2013, contributing as a structural firefighter, technical rescue and marine rescue/transport team member, and officer of the Orcas Island Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Association.

    Over the past ~25 years, Brian has held other public service positions in the community, including San Juan County Planning Commissioner, Port of Orcas Commissioner, and member of the Eastsound Planning and Review Commission. He has also served as Trustee/Treasurer of the OPAL Community Land Trust,  founding member of the Salmonberry School, Board member and Treasurer of Childrens’ House, and President of the Eastsound Water Users Association. Additionally, he has served on the boards of the Orcas Family Health Center, the Orcas Highlands Association, and Lopez Island Vineyards.

    Brian is dedicated to ensuring Orcas Island Fire & Rescue has stable funding, transparent governance, and a strong team of volunteers and professionals working to keep our community safe and healthy.

    Email: behrmantraut@orcasfire.org
    Phone: (360) 298-2476

  • Elected November 2023

    Randall Gaylord was elected to a six-year term in November 2023.   Mr. Gaylord served as the elected prosecuting attorney and coroner in San Juan County from January 1994 to December 2022.  As the “last of the first responders,”  Mr. Gaylord worked closely with first responders from Orcas Island Fire and Rescue as well as the other fire and emergency medical personnel throughout the county.

    Mr. Gaylord raised two children at the public schools on Orcas Island, where his wife Marny was one of the elementary school teachers.

    Mr. Gaylord hopes to build on the leadership of those who have previously served as commissioners and to bring to the commission his depth of knowledge of municipal governance to assure a stable future for Orcas Fire and Rescue.

    Email: rgaylord@orcasfire.org
    Phone: 360-376-3076 (voice, no text)

  • Elisabeth Britt, also known by her middle name Darby, was appointed to the Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (OIFR) Board in July 2024 to complete an unexpired two-year term.

    Elisabeth moved full-time to Orcas Island in 2021, a place she fell in love with during her youth. She is the fifth generation of her family to live, work and raise her family in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

    With over 25 years of experience in the finance and the public sector, Elisabeth brings a wealth of community outreach expertise to her role at OIFR. Starting with service as a legislative aide/assistant in the Washington State Legislature, her career has been marked by significant contributions to various non-profit boards, government commissions, and committees, highlighting her dedication to open government, public safety, and community development. Her dedication to these roles underscores her commitment to fostering a thriving, engaged, and well-served community on Orcas Island.

    Email: ebritt@orcasfire.org

    Phone: 360.305.8875