Chief suspended over PPE issue at vehicle fire. Firefighters resign saying no confidence. The story from Friday Harbor, Washington.

August 12 vehicle fire story and photos are here and here

Newspaper photos last month of a  firefighter dousing a vehicle fire without SCBA and his chief standing behind him with no PPE have caused quite a dust up in Friday Harbor, Washington. SanJuanJournal.com reports Chief Vern Long, seen in the middle of the three photos above, was suspended for two days and then went on medical leave on the day he was to return, August 18. Town Administrator King Fitch “said Long indicated at their disciplinary meeting that he had medical appointments scheduled.” The firefighter in the picture was not disciplined.

On August 12, the day the photos were published, a letter of no confidence in Chief Long was sent from two captains, two lieutenants and firefighter. All five volunteer members of the department have since resigned. 

Here are excerpts from an article by Journal of the San Juans editor Richard Walker (who shot the car fire photos):

In Long’s absence, Assistant Fire Chief Tom Eades is serving as acting fire chief, Mayor Carrie Lacher said. Eades is a dispatcher from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., so District 3 Fire Chief Steve Marler and Assistant Chief Brad Creesy are supporting the town fire department’s volunteer duty officer.

Lacher said she spoke to Long when he went on medical leave and “urged him to get better.” She attended a Monday night drill and spoke to firefighters before they drilled on the new fire truck.

“They’re shook up. They’re concerned that the firefighters who left chose to express their concerns in this way,” Lacher said. She said firefighters told her they believe Long is “an outstanding administrator.”

Lacher said she also spoke with two of the firefighters who submitted the “no confidence” letter, and said their concerns went beyond how the car fire was handled.

On Aug. 12, SanJuanJournal.com posted a story and a series of photos of a car fire at the ferry landing that day. The photos show a firefighter with hose working to extinguish the fire; he is not wearing breathing apparatus, which Fitch said is standard procedure. In one photo, the firefighter is crouching next to the front bumper, spraying water under the car, as smoke billows out. In another photo, Long is standing behind the firefighter, holding the hose, not wearing gear.

In their declaration of no confidence, the signers said they have “no confidence in the leadership, management, organization or training abilities” of Chief Long, and requested his “immediate removal and replacement.”

“As volunteers, we contribute our time and effort to preserve and protect the health and property of others — a responsibility we undertake willingly but take seriously,” they wrote. “The FHFD needs strong leadership from a chief and assistant chief who will promote, support and comply with standard guidelines and procedures; assess, utilize and improve the skills and abilities of its volunteers; and advance the competence and knowledge of all department members through training and education. The size of the department, small geographical area, limited calls and/or financial constraints are no excuses for requiring or expecting less than full commitment from any member of the department, including staff officers, nor are they reasons to disregard requests for training and assistance, or ignore generally accepted and statutorily required fire ground practices.”

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