Non-Emergency Support Division

The Backbone of Emergency Response

Behind every successful emergency operation are the people who make it possible. Our non-emergency support teams provide the foundation that keeps responders fed, trained, and ready to serve. They don't fight fires or respond to medical calls - they make everything else work.

The Auxiliary: Heroes of the Home Base

When emergencies stretch for hours, when mutual aid crews arrive from other islands, when firefighters need to reset and regroup - the Auxiliary appears like magic.

Always Ready, Always Monitoring

Auxiliary members carry pagers 365 days a year:

  • Large structure fires requiring extended operations

  • Multiple Casualty Incidents (MCIs) with numerous patients

  • Search and rescue operations lasting hours or days

  • Any incident extending beyond routine response times

  • Mutual aid operations when neighboring departments assist

What They Bring: More Than Food

The Auxiliary creates "Rehab" - the staging area where exhausted responders recover:

  • Hot meals and cold drinks for energy and hydration

  • Chairs and pop-up tents for rest and shelter

  • Snacks and nourishment to keep energy levels up

  • A place to decompress between operational periods

  • Warm hospitality for visiting mutual aid crews

Why This Matters

It's hard to describe how vital this role is until you've been there: Fighting a structure fire for four hours in winter rain. Searching dense forest for a lost hiker. Working a complex vehicle accident with multiple patients. When you're exhausted, dehydrated, and need to get back in there - the Auxiliary tent becomes home base. It's where you remember why you do this work and find the energy to continue.

Mutual aid crews from other islands always comment on OIFR's Auxiliary support. Professional hospitality that makes regional cooperation work seamlessly.

Public Education: Teaching "How to Live Safely on an Island"

Island living brings unique challenges and responsibilities. Our public education programs teach community members the skills they need to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors.

CPR, First Aid, and AED Training: The Foundation

Our goal is ambitious: train as many individuals, groups, and businesses as possible every year.

Why this matters on an island:

  • Remote locations mean longer emergency response times

  • Ferry schedules can delay transport to mainland hospitals

  • Bystanders are often first on scene and may be the only help available

  • Early intervention saves lives when professional help is minutes or hours away

The results speak for themselves: Orcas Island has one of the highest CPR training and survival rates in the country. This isn't luck - it's the result of our robust public education program creating a community of trained responders.

Fire Safety Education: Prevention and Preparedness

Teaching fire safety across the community:

  • School programs educating children about fire safety

  • Community presentations on home fire prevention

  • Business safety training for workplace emergencies

  • Smoke alarm programs ensuring working detectors island-wide

Wildfire Ready Neighbors: Protecting the WUI

Living in the Wildland Urban Interface requires special knowledge:

  • Defensible space creation around homes

  • Evacuation planning for wildfire emergencies

  • Community coordination for neighborhood preparedness

  • Fire-resistant landscaping and building practices

The program builds resilient communities where neighbors look out for each other and everyone understands their role in wildfire prevention.

Health and Safety Outreach

Regular community education on:

  • Seasonal safety topics relevant to island living

  • Emergency preparedness for disasters and outages

  • Water safety for our marine environment

  • Carbon monoxide prevention in island homes

  • Injury prevention across all age groups

The Philosophy: Community Resilience

"How to live safely on an island" isn't just a catchy phrase - it's our mission. Island communities face unique challenges that require special knowledge, preparation, and community cooperation.

What makes island safety different:

  • Self-reliance during storms and ferry outages

  • Extended emergency response times to remote locations

  • Limited resources requiring community backup

  • Environmental challenges from marine to wilderness settings

  • Seasonal populations needing consistent safety education

Creating a Culture of Preparedness

Our public education programs don't just teach skills - they build community resilience:

  • Neighbors helping neighbors with life-saving skills

  • Businesses prepared for workplace emergencies

  • Schools teaching safety from an early age

  • Families planning together for various emergency scenarios

  • Community-wide awareness of fire and safety risks

The Ripple Effect

Every person we train potentially saves lives:

  • CPR graduates performing life-saving interventions

  • First aid training reducing injury severity until help arrives

  • Fire safety education preventing emergencies before they start

  • Wildfire preparation protecting homes and neighborhoods

  • Emergency planning keeping families safe during disasters

Recognition and Impact

Our programs receive regional and national recognition:

  • High CPR survival rates compared to national averages

  • Community preparedness model for other rural areas

  • Successful fire prevention reducing emergency call volume

  • Public health impact through injury prevention education

Volunteer Opportunities

Non-emergency support welcomes community members who want to help but may not be ready for emergency response:

Auxiliary Team

  • Flexible scheduling around your availability

  • Meaningful support for emergency operations

  • Community service with immediate impact

  • Team camaraderie with like-minded volunteers

Public Education Support

  • Program assistance for classes and events

  • Community outreach sharing safety information

  • Administrative support for training programs

  • Event coordination for public safety education

Ready to Support Your Community?

Non-emergency support needs dedicated people who:

  • Want to serve without being on emergency response teams

  • Enjoy helping others in practical, meaningful ways

  • Can commit time to support ongoing programs

  • Believe in community preparedness and education

  • Want to be part of something bigger than themselves

What's Next?

Interested in non-emergency support? Contact us to learn about:

  • Auxiliary volunteer opportunities and requirements

  • Public education program support roles

  • Training schedules and time commitments

  • Community outreach opportunities

Contact Information:

  • Phone: (360) 376-2331

  • Email: info@orcasfire.org

  • Visit: Eastsound Fire Station to learn more

Ready to help build a safer, more prepared island community?