Key Information about the District
Organized: 1950 under Title 52 Revised Code of Washington
Elected Board of Fire Commissioners: Frank Mestemacher, Mike Noblet, & Lawrence Metz
Administrative Staff
Fire Chief, EFO: H.L. “Rusty” Palmer
Deputy Chief/Operations: Terry Ney
Deputy Chief/Training & Safety: Wendy Moffatt
Deputy Chief/Resources: Jon Beck
Fire Prevention Officer: Lieutenant Alex McMahon
Finance Officer: Sarah Pedersen
Records Manager: Vicki Lange
Administrative Specialist: Kelly McDonald
Maintenance Technician: Michael O’Brien
Emergency Phone Number: 9 1 1
Radio Frequency: Dispatch “Fire 1”: 154.430, Operations “Fire 3”: 154.175
Dispatch: I-COM
Board meets: 2nd Thursday each month, 5:30PM, Bayview Fire Station, 5579 Bayview Road, Langley, WA 98260
District Area: – 66 Sq. Miles, 57 Miles of shoreline
Station locations: 31-Freeland, 32-Clinton, 33-Maxwelton, 34-Langley, 35-Saratoga, 36-Bayview
Part Time Firefighters/EMTs: 8 Members
Firefighter/EMT’s: 46 Members
Firefighters: 12 Members
EMTs: 15 Members
District Population: Permanent = 15,000 Daily Effective Population = 25,000 (est.) 9,940 Registered Voters
Assessed Valuation of property within District: $3,719,956,307.00
District Funding: Regular tax levy
Levy rate: $0.61 per $1,000 of assessed value
Emergency Apparatus: 7-Class A Type 1 Pumpers, 1-Type 5 Brush Engine, 1-Type 6 Brush Engine, 2-2800 gallon Water Tenders, 3-2500 gallon Water Tenders, 1-Type 3, 35’ Fire Boat, 1-RIB Rescue Boat, 1-Light Rescue, 1-Light and Air, 3-Aid Vehicles, 5-Command Vehicles, 1-Rehab Unit, 3-MCI Trailers, 1-HazMat/Decon Trailer, 3-Utility Vehicles, and 1-Youth Training Smoke House Trailer.
Total Pumping Capacity: 14,000 GPM (11,500 GPM from firefighting apparatus, 3.500 GPM from water tenders).
WSRB Fire Insurance Rating: Class 7, with hydrant credit on residential structures except the City of Langley which is a Class 6
Fact Sheets
Washington State Audit
- Click to Download: About the State Auditor’s Office
- Click to Download: Accountability Audit Report
- Click to Download: Financial Statements Audit Report
Customer Survey 2008-2009
- Click to Download: Final Results
Emergency Medical System Evaluation
- Click to Download: Final Report
STRATEGIC PLAN for People
South Whidbey Fire/EMS continues to be guided by our Strategic Plan. The plan was officially adopted by the Fire Commissioners and put into action on February 8, 2007. More than just a document, this plan serves as a dynamic road map to help guide the critical planning decisions we make on behalf of the local community. The plan drives the decision making so that we can continue to provide a high level of service at a minimal taxpayer cost. We are updating the plan this year to help guide us into the future.
The District operates on one of the lowest tax rates in the state and with good planning we will continue to provide the best service possible with the tax dollars we receive. We encourage you to read the current Strategic Plan and invite you to learn more about how to participate in the activities of South Whidbey Fire and Rescue.
Click to Download: Our Strategic Plan (2020-2025)