New fire engines for rural living

Orcas living is different right down to its fire engines.

Orcas Island Fire announced delivery of the four new fire engines that were included in the 2005 strategic plan. Ordered last year, the engines are called WASPs, or Wildland Attack and Structural Protection.

According to OIFD, the strategic plan called for replacing the aging fleet of fire trucks with off-road capable, multi-use units that could be employed to put out multiple types of fires that occur on rural Orcas Island, including brush and structure fires.

Most fire engines are designed for straight streets and paved roads. The topography of Orcas Island requires its engines to maneuver steep, narrow driveways and roads that the current fleet cannot navigate. The new engines are the size of large crew cab pickups and facilitate ease of driving and training.

Three of the WASPs will be placed at the Westsound, Deer Harbor, and Doe Bay fire stations after they are outfitted in early November. The fourth will be stationed in Eastsound and will function as a reserve when another engine needs repair or maintenance.

“While responding to fire calls is only 20 percent of what we do, our insurance rating and your premiums are directly related to doing what the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau says is necessary to maintain our rating. They say 20 years is the most a fire truck can stay in front line service,” fire chief Mike Harris said. “The Doe Bay and Westsound and Deer Harbor engines were all over that.”