DARRINGTON — Fire District Commissioners Dennis Vincent and Steve Ekstrand expect a heated meeting Monday, which could be the culmination of two months of debate about emergency medical services.
It’s an issue that has split this town in two.
The commissioners are poised to hear from a group of Darrington Ambulance Association supporters who are calling for the removal of Fire Chief Dennis Fenstermaker. They are angry about the fire district’s decision to stop funding the association and its return to providing the district’s emergency medical services. The group has collected more than 360 signatures calling for the chief’s firing.
The fire commissioners also plan Monday to fill the commission seat vacated in May after the death of longtime commissioner Holley Ross. The appointee will complete Ross’ term, which expires next year.
Ekstrand doesn’t plan to run for re-election. Four candidates had filed for his position on the board. Most fire districts in the county have people running unopposed.
The unusual 20-year-old cooperative agreement between the volunteer fire department and the volunteer ambulance association ended in April when fire officials asked ambulance crews to again become part of the fire district for financial reasons, liability issues and state code compliance. The well-respected association members wanted to retain their autonomy, established in the 1990s when the group split from the town fire department.
Ekstrand explained at a meeting in April, called by Mayor Joyce Jones, that the fire district has been sending about $30,000 a year from the EMS property tax levy to the ambulance association for emergency medical aid and transports. The ambulance volunteers were asked to get on board with the fire district, as recommended by the state auditor’s office, he said.
Ambulance association supporters want the chief fired, along with a contract that would continue the emergency services of the association. They also want to increase the number of fire district commissioners to five.
“We hope the commission will follow through on what the taxpayers are requesting,” said Judy White O’Connor.
The group’s petition claims that Fenstermaker caused acrimony and discord in town, and that without the ambulance group, Darrington wouldn’t have enough certified personnel offering emergency medical services.
However, Vincent said most of the ambulance association emergency medical services volunteers already were members of the fire department and the rest recently joined up.
“We can assure people that when they call 911 for emergency help they are going to see the same people they did before,” the commissioner said.
Fire district officials issued a response to the petition Thursday saying that there’s been no interruption of service, which fire officials say has been performed by qualified and certified people.
A fire district newsletter also outlined the acquisition of an old aid unit from the ambulance association, the purchase for $1 of a surplus Arlington Fire Department aid car, and the loan of two aid cars from North County Fire and EMS.
“The chief is doing a good job here. He didn’t want to end the agreement with the ambulance association. But we need to be a team now,” Vincent said. “We’ve been worried since the circulation of the group’s petition that people won’t call 911 when they have a medical emergency. We don’t need a tragedy.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Monday meeting
Darrington Fire Protection District 24 commissioners meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, district fire hall, 115 Seeman St.
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