May 24th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
Thursday, June 13, at 4 p.m. at Eastsound Fire Hall
By Kevin K. O’Brien, Fire Chief/CEO
Orcas Fire and Rescue
When you call 911 or knock on our door, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue is at your service. As the provider of emergency medical services for Orcas Island, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue has a primary mission of helping people stay safe and alive. Over 70 percent of our calls for help are for emergency medical services. Our EMS system is very successful as demonstrated by the fact that in San Juan County, our cardiac resuscitation rates are among the highest in the nation.
San Juan County is fortunate to have the services of Dr. Michael Sullivan. Patterned after successful EMS systems nation-wide where the EMS medical director works out of a local hospital Emergency Department; EMS in San Juan County is exceptional and appropriate for our rural setting. It is that way because of the paramedics and EMTs who work under the cutting edge leadership of Dr. Sullivan. The training he delivers is comprehensive and caring. Dr. Sullivan spends at least eight hours each month teaching Orcas responders alone. Due to the remote qualities of island living, the equipment and medicine carried on our ambulances are similar to an emergency room.
It’s all about the best medical care for the patient. Under Dr. Sullivan’s oversight, we transport our patients to the optimal facility for the medical situation of each patient regardless of Dr. Sullivan’s affiliation with any hospital. Our transport data supports this. If we could, we would keep all patients on the island. When appropriate, OIFR paramedics call the patient’s local physician to assist or follow-up. One problem that we have found is that “after hours” and on weekends, it can be a challenge to coordinate follow-up care by an Orcas physician, especially for visitors or islanders who don’t see a practitioner on Orcas. We believe this is a resolvable issue with all parties working together.
Given functioning mental capacity and adhering to prudent medical practices, patients have the right to choose where to be transported within our regional area, or whether to be transported at all. Under the supervision of Dr. Sullivan, OIFR paramedics work with patients to make decisions based upon medical best practices. However, if a patient chooses not to be transported, it is honored. The patient would be very reasonably asked to sign an “against medical advice” form but their wishes would be respected.
Given the high cost of health care, the ease of accessibility, and the quality of customer service OIFR aspires to provide, Eastsound Station 21 is perceived by many in the community as a de facto urgent care clinic. This is not uncommon for a fire station in any location, but is especially apparent here because of the inconsistency of after-hours medical care.
We will achieve success by working together. At OIFR, we look forward to working with the Orcas Island community and medical professionals to initiate a viable after-hours medical care program for all patients. In the last year, we have met with the island physicians on multiple occasions to keep lines of communication open and to work toward a solution.
On Thursday, June 13, at 4:00 p.m. Orcas Island Fire and Rescue invites the community to a “Town Hall” meeting to explain our emergency medical program and discuss possible solutions for after-hours medical care. Your thoughts and input would be greatly appreciated.
May 24th, 2013 |
May 22nd, 2013, by Margie Doyle
From Learner Limbach
The Orcas Island Seed Library is having its opening this Thursday May 23rd. The opening is part of a Sustainable Orcas Island (SOI) meeting and will be held at the Library from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Many people have contributed blood sweat and tears to this project, inspired by the vision of creating a resilient seed stewardship community together.
The Seed Library, built by Emmett Adam, will be permanently set up at the Library and will be self-serve.
Come see what the Seed Library is all about, how it works and how to use it.
May 22nd, 2013 |
May 22nd, 2013, by Margie Doyle
A discussion of love as the foundation for social change
By Suzanne Olson
The presentation at the May 26 service of the Orcas Island Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (OIUUF) will be “Peace, Love and . . . Social Justice: a discussion of love as the foundation for social change” with Dr. Roberta Hunte, Asst. Professor, Portland State University’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program.
OIUUF meets at 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, September through June. The service is held in Benson Hall at Emmanuel Church, 242 Main St. in Eastsound. All are welcome; child care is available. For more information, visit the OIUUF website at www.orcasislanduu.org. If you need help getting to the service, visit the “Contact Us” page on the website.
May 22nd, 2013 |
May 22nd, 2013, by Margie Doyle
The Mobile Dental Clinic from Medical Teams International will be returning to Orcas on May 31st and June 1st. The Clinic will provide care to qualifying community members. Services provided during the clinic will be free of charge, thanks to the donation of skills and resources by our local dentists and hygienists.
Applications are available on line at www.oicf.us , or can be picked up at the Food Bank, the Public Library, Orcas Family Connections or the County Health office at the Senior Center. Applications will be reviewed and prioritized based on severity of dental needs and pain. Completed applications can be dropped off in the Dental Box outside the Public Library. If you have questions regarding the application or available services, please contact Barbara Ehrmantraut, 376-3395.
The dental clinic is funded and coordinated through the Orcas Island Community Foundation. Both Dr. Ivans and Dr. Bailey and staff members are volunteering to provide care. Jim Biddick is coordinating volunteers to provide check-in support and can be reached at 376-2488. The Orcas Community Church is hosting the van and housing for the van drivers has been contributed by the Gudgell family. Breakfast snacks and lunch for the volunteers are needed on both days; if you are interested in contributing, please contact the Orcas Island Community Foundation, 376-6423. Working together, we keep the community healthy.
May 22nd, 2013 |
May 20th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
From UW Medicine and PeaceHealth
UW Medicine and PeaceHealth have signed a groundbreaking Letter of Intent to create a strategic affiliation that will provide patients throughout much of Washington and Alaska with access to the most comprehensive care available in the Pacific Northwest.
The Letter of Intent, which was signed today [May 20] is expected to be memorialized in further definitive agreements by Sept. 30, 2013. The agreement will bring together two mission-driven, not-for-profit health systems – each with a focus on evidence-based medicine, community health improvement and cost effective care – to provide a full continuum of services as envisioned under health care reform.
The two organizations will remain legally separate and independent; governance will not be affected. No government regulatory approval is required.
“This affiliation allows us to coordinate care and services with a respected health care organization that has deep roots in the region and shares our passion for serving everyone in the community regardless of their ability to pay,” said Johnese Spisso, Chief Health System Officer for UW Medicine. “Together, our systems provide an extraordinary amount of charity care to patients across the state of Washington.”
Read more…
May 20th, 2013 |
May 17th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
I can hardly wait to be in Kaleidoscope’s Pet Parade on May 25!
Saturday, May 25 Registration at 10 a.m. in front of the Elementary School
The 23nd Annual Pet Parade will be taking over the streets of Eastsound on Saturday, May 25.
Kaleidoscope Preschool and Child Care Center is at it again, preparing for the island’s furry friends parade. The starting location is School Road in Eastsound at 10 a.m. for judging. As usual, the parade will start at 11 a.m.
Participants will mosey down School Road to North Beach Rd, take a left on A Street, right on Prune Alley, right on Main Street, then back on North Beach Road to the Eastsound Village Green Band Shell. Rumor has it that Children’s House Mayoral Candidates will be campaigning so come schmooze with your friendly, furry politicians.
And new this year, parade participants will be divided into 2 categories:
1. Children and pets that WANT to be categorized and judged for trophy award to be presented on Eastsound Village Green
2. Participants want to be eligible for Pawki’s Best ADULT Entry Gift Certificate and are there primarily for the parade experience.
All participants will register, get photographed by Pawki’s and get goodies of their choice from Pawki’s. Entries will NOT be allowed to enter either judging line after 10:45, so make sure you are not on “island time.” This new system will reduce the time it takes for the judging and awards, and increase the enjoyment of the parade experience for ALL.
BIG thanks to the island businesses that are sponsoring 17 exciting categories for this year’s pet parade. The local business support is always encouraging, with many sponsors saying “YES” before they are even asked!
Also available at the end location will be kid friendly food (donated by The Lower Tavern) and customized Kaleidoscope T-shirts.
Any questions, call Kaleidoscope at 376-2484.
May 17th, 2013 |
May 17th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
June 10 deadline for public comment on wide-ranging rules to implement the voter-approved legalization of pot
Medical marijuana grower Brendan Howley working with marijuana plants grown under current state medical marijuana prescriptions in Skagit County. New rules are being proposed for sales under a state law legalizing marijuana. Crosscut photo by Tom James.
By John Stang for Crosscut.com
One way that smoking legal pot will just be like smoking cigarettes: Your pack of weed could include the printed label, “Warning: Smoking may be hazardous to your health.”
The Washington State Liquor Control Board unveiled Thursday the draft ground rules for growing, processing and selling recreational marijuana. The public has until June 10 to comment on the proposed regulations.
The 46-page set of draft rules includes how to apply for a license to grow, process or sell pot. How to object to such a facility locating an area. How to get a license revoked or suspended. Where such an operation can be located. What paperwork will be needed for a long list of marijuana-related activities. How the weed will be taxed. The potency of the pot. How the finances are to be set up and monitored.
On taxes, each sale from a grower to a processor to a retailer to a customer -— including those involving middlemen in that chain —- will result in a 25 percent tax to the state.
(To read the full story, go to crosscut.com/2013/05/17/marijuana-rules-take-minute-inhale-then-offer-your-coments)
May 17th, 2013 |
May 16th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
The funnest job at the 4-H Fur and Feathers Dinner last night–dishwashing!
By Margie Doyle
The 4-H club (Head, Heart, Hands and Health) is alive and well on Orcas Island, and its “Fur and Feathers” contingent again hosted a sold-out dinner at the Senior Center last night.
The club is led by Kathy Morris, and club alumni helped host the four-course dinner of garden salad, carrot soup, pulled pork/ macaroni and cheese and rhubarb crisp dessert. The guests in the Lundeen Room were served by active members of Fur and Feathers, mostly elementary school aged kids.
Orcas Island 4H also offers the Orcas-Island-Trailblazers program for equestrians; Fur and Feathers Club is for small animals, crafts, cooking, etc.
For more information call 376-5999 or go to the Fur-and-Feathers-4-H Facebook page.
Orcas Island 4H is part of the San Juan County 4H program through the WSU Extension.
May 16th, 2013 |
May 13th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
The Deer Harbor Community plans an emergency preparedness drill on Saturday, May 18
By David Schermerhorn
Outline of Spring Point fire drill on Saturday, May 18, 2013:
In order to test and evaluate response times of the various agencies involved we plan to work in real time as much as possible rather than having personnel and vehicles already in place at the beginning of the drill. The Red Cross vehicle and personnel will be an exception since they will be coming by ferry from Friday Harbor. The dispatcher and the various agencies involved will be aware in advance that a drill is planned but their responses will initially be triggered by a 911 or non-emergency call and later by communications from the Incident Commander Center. It is important to record the times when calls are made requesting support and the times the units have arrived.
Dave Dilling, Chairman of the Spring Point Home Owners Association will trigger a phone-tree that he is organizing designed to alert the residents to the situation and to check on the condition of neighbors.
We learned after the planning meeting that the hand-held radios distributed among 13 volunteers will not reach from the fire site to the Fire Station due to local geography. As a result the volunteers must be prepared to communicate via their mobile phones. A listing of these numbers will be sent in a separate mailing.
This is a tentative outline of events. However the schedule is subject to change as events unfold and/or at the direction of the Incident Commander: Read more…
May 13th, 2013 |
May 12th, 2013, by Margie Doyle
Camp Orkila’s zipline is open to the public! on Sundays, May 19 and June 2 Reservations required!
From Laura Bruhns, YMCA Camp Orkila
YMCA Camp Orkila would like to invite the public to come out and take a ride on our 1,000-ft Zip Line! We will be holding by-appointment only Community Zip days on the following dates:
- Sunday May 19th- 12:30-3:30pm
- Sunday June 2nd- 12:30-3:30pm
If interested, you must call camp at 360.376.2678 to sign-up for a time assignment. Please know the number of people in your party at the time of calling. Maximum weight capacity for a single rider is 285 lbs (subject to change depending on conditions) and children must be entering 3rd grade or older to participate.
Being prompt is important so please plan to arrive at camp 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time. Please enter through the main entrance on Mount Baker Road and follow signs to the designated parking areas.
We look forward to seeing you!
May 12th, 2013 |
Barbara Keller 
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I saw this today at the library, it is SO wonderful! What vision many people have had to create this beautiful, useful and highly valuable resource. Kudos!
Great to see the beautiful craftsmanship Emmett has brought forth to create this new Seed Library. And three cheers to the visionaries and those hard-workers that have brought our Seed Bank and Seed Library forward. Thriving on Orcas!