Emergency Management
FIRE SERVICES MOBILIZATION PLAN As a result of the devastating SPOKANE FIRESTORM of 1991, the Washington State Legislature enacted RCW 38.54 which directed the creation of the Washington State Fire Mobilization Plan. In that act, the State of Washington was divided into nine (9) geographic regions. A Fire Defense Board was formed in each region comprised of a Fire Chief representative and an Emergency Management representative from each county within the region and a Washington State Department of Natural Resources representative. As an integral part of the Washington State Fire Mobilization Plan, each Region and each County was directed to formulate their own Fire Mobilization Plan. Together, these plans provide a tiered response plan for major emergency events, which require resources beyond the scope of everyday emergency incidents. _____________________________________________________ Skagit County has remained closely involved with the Fire Mobilization planning process from its inception. Skagit County is a part of the Northwest Region and together with representatives from Island, San Juan, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties, have written and adopted a regional plan to activate, mobilize, and coordinate fire services resources in response to major emergency incidents throughout the five-county region. _____________________________________________________ The Skagit County Fire Mobilization Plan was written by representatives of the Skagit County Fire Commissioners Association, the Skagit County Fire Chiefs Association, and the Skagit County Department of Emergency Management. Commissioner Ken Anderson, Fire District #2, Commissioner Jack Shelton, Fire District #6, Chief Dennis Hofstad, Mount Vernon Fire Department, Chief Rolla Ritchey Jr., Fire District #2, and Chief Tom Zimmerman, La Conner Fire Department were instrumental in the development of the Skagit County Fire Mobilization Plan. Although any municipality or rural fire district may request and receive fire services resources through the plan, not all fire agencies within Skagit County participate in sending resources to emergency incidents outside the boundaries of Skagit County. Since the adoption of the Washington State Fire Mobilization Plan, Skagit County fire agencies have participated in two state mobilization efforts - the 1994 Chelan wildfires, and the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) incident in Seattle. The following Skagit County fire agencies are available for activation and mobilization to emergency incidents throughout the Northwest Region and the State of Washington:
Skagit County has a reputation of "sending the best" - Skagit County Task Force members that responded to the recent WTO incident received many compliments for their professionalism and integrity. |