ANNOUNCEMENTS

FIRST AID/CPR TRAINING

Due to the COVID crisis, we are not able to hold in-person training.  If you need a CPR or First Aid certification we can provide you with information to take the class or classes on-line.  After completion of the on-line portion, an in person skills testing is required. San Juan EMS has graciously decided to provide the in person skills portion to Lopez folks.  Contact our office for more information.  

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8/28/20

Lopez Island Fire & EMS (LIFE) recommends you have at least one air ambulance subscription. Island Air (IAA), Life Flight (LF) and Airlift Northwest (ALNW) memberships are all available here on Lopez Island and San Juan County.  There are a variety of factors that go into LIFE making the decision of which resource to use. We do our best to take your subscription information into consideration (if you only have one of the three carriers, IAA for example), but at the end of the day, we will use the best available resource that provides the urgent care your condition presents.

It is vitally important that you or a member of your household know what air ambulance service you are subscribed with and be able to convey this to the EMS Team treating you.  It is also helpful to have it prominently posted in your residence.
 

Caveats:

-Lopez Island Fire & EMS (LIFE) is not responsible for any costs associated with air ambulance services. We do not specifically endorse any of these air ambulance services. We do encourage island residents and long term part timers to have air ambulance coverage. LIFE does not receive any reimbursement or economic support from the air ambulance providers.
 

- If you don't have a health insurance plan, you cannot be part of a membership program. The air transport providers bill your primary insurance first, and anything not covered by your primary insurance will then be covered by your membership coverage.
 

- If your primary insurance declines to pay for the flight (as one insurer was doing in 2019) your membership will NOT cover the flight. That being said, all three air ambulance services have been advocates for patients that have been declined by their primary insurance.  The denials have decreased significantly and this insurer has withdrawn from San Juan County as an insurance provider.
 

- If weather conditions are too poor and the three air ambulance services refuse the flight based on weather conditions, we will contact the US Navy SAR Team, or US Coast Guard for helicopter transport. These are paid for by your tax dollars, and do not bill for patient transports. If those resources are not available, we may transport via boat to Friday Harbor, or the mainland as a last resort.
 

- To the best of our understanding, IAA, ALNW, and Life Flight DO NOT currently have a subscription reciprocity agreement.  I would call ALNW/IAA/Life Flight to confirm their reciprocity, as agreements can
change. 

-Most of our air ambulance transport use Airlift Northwest and Island Air Ambulance.  However we have used Life Flight this summer due to the other services not being available.
 

Questions:
Lopez Fire: 1-360-468-2991
Island Air Ambulance: 1-360-378-2376
Airlift Northwest: 888-835-1599
Life Flight: 800-982-9299

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FIRE INSURANCE RATING

Your homeowners insurance rate can include several factors, one being the "Community Protection Class Grade" that is determined by The Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSRB).  These surveys are done for all areas.

Every 4-5 years we (Lopez Island) have an evaluation done by the WSRB.  In May 2016 they determined our Protection Class rating as "7".  The Protection Class rating level is 1 to 10, 1 being the best.

There are several areas that are evaluated and rated:

1) Water Supply

2) Emergency Communications

3) Fire Safety

4) Fire Department

For more information on the Community Protection Class Grade you can visit https://www1.wsrb.com/

December 2, 2020

It is with great pleasure that the Commissioners of Lopez Island Fire & EMS has selected Adam Bigby to be the next Fire Chief of Lopez Island Fire & EMS. Chief Bigby’s first day working for the District will be on December 15, 2020.

Chief Bigby comes to us with 29 years of fire department experience. He started as a volunteer with Snohomish County Fire district 7 in 1991, while he was a senior in high school. Adam worked for a private ambulance company in Tacoma as an Emergency Medical Technician in 1996. In 1998 he moved to Pierce County and joined the Browns Point / Dash Point Fire Department and was promoted to Assistant Fire chief in 2001. He earned his Paramedic certification in 2001 and in 2003 joined the Montesano Fire Department in Grays Harbor County as the medical services officer and paramedic/firefighter. Adam successfully promoted through the ranks of the Montesano Department and as of 2010 serves as a Captain.

Additionally Chief Bigby serves neighboring Grays Harbor Fire District #2 as an elected Fire District Commissioner.

Adam is a western Washington native who was born in Bellevue Washington and his family moved to the Monroe area in 1986. Adam graduated Monroe High school 1991. He continued to pursue additional post secondary education.  Paramedic school Tacoma Community College 2000-2001; Associates degree from Tacoma Community College 2010; Associates degree from Grays Harbor Community College 2016; Bachelors Degree from Central Washington University 2017.

Adam married his wife Rachel in 1994 and they have two children. Their first son Mackenzie (Mack) was born in 1995. Their second son Riley was born in 1997. Both of their sons have graduated high school and college and from time to time will be visiting Mom and Dad. 

In addition to their two sons, they also have a family of 5 pets, 4 dogs, Chewbacca, Lando, Leia & Luke and a cat, Boba.

Rachel previously was the director of the after school program at Beacon elementary (Montesano School district). Rachel currently provides dog care and training through her own company.

Adam and his wife want you all to know “We are thrilled to be moving to Lopez Island to begin the next chapter in our life”. 

You’ll likely see them around the island walking their dogs Luke and Leia.

The staff, volunteers and Commissioners are excited to welcome Adam and his wife Rachel to the Lopez Island Community. They plan be moving to the island sometime in mid December.

The Board of Commissioners is pleased with the experience and qualifications that Chief Bigby brings to Lopez Island. His experience and knowledge will enable him to “hit the ground running”, and begin to address some immediate needs and goals that have been delayed by the demands of the Covid pandemic. 

In the Chief’s first year, the District’s strategic plan will need to be updated, and a stable funding plan will have to be developed. The funding plan may include an EMS levy, increasing the fire levy in 2021 and/or a capital improvement bond issue in the future.  Any of these funding options would require voter approval.