MISSION + GOALS

Enhance Wildland Fire Readiness for Decatur Island 

and associated public safety.

• Propagating community awareness, education, and individual responsibility. 
• Preparation – with cultivation of resources that include trained volunteer responders, interagency partnerships, and maintenance of dedicated equipment.
• Protection – of our first responders, those involved in incidents, the island wildland environment, and community health. 

Our success is found in the community and volunteerism.Without both, we have no base from which to achieve our mission.We prioritize developing deep relationships built on trust and respect with those who enable our success.

We recognize our on-island volunteer first responders are often formed of a transient base.During periods, the number of available responders is impossibly finite for the risks realized.Decatur Island is a remote outer island with risks and responsibilities that all Decatur Islanders choose to accept.

Systematically addressing this reality is a priority for readiness and triage.Simultaneously, we recognize the impacts on the dynamics of our community.Individuals who are on the island more often than others should not alone shoulder the burden of our work or be assumed to be capable volunteer responders when the need arises.Understanding that some of our goals require physical presence, we will work to delegate responsibilities that can be achieved remotely.

We foster collaboration and the unification of resources from a multitude of off-island agencies and enterprises for primary response and support of DEB.These include: Department of Natural Resources, San Juan County, SJC Interagency Wildland Team, neighboring and outer islands, US Coast Guard, Naval Air Station Whidbey, Skagit County, Province of British Columbia/Canada, aeromedical resources, private water ferries, and professional consultants