Islanders can get to know an unusually crowded field of candidates for the Bainbridge Island Fire Department commission Thursday night.

Resident Jane Dunkel organized the forum, scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. at Station 21, 8895 Madison Ave. (Dunkel requested use of the meeting room, the fire department is not affiliated with the event). 

Dunkel said seven of the eight fire commission candidates are expected to attend. Current commissioner Dan Morrow is running unopposed for Position 3 and is not participating in the forum.

Dunkel said she is interested in promoting effective local government and organized the forum as a community service. It will include opening remarks from candidates, questions from the moderator (Dunkel) and an audience Q&A session.

Commission positions 2, 3, 4 and 5 are up for election. Position 2 has three contestants and will be the only commission position appearing on the August primary ballot.

Longtime commissioner and department booster Glen Tyrrell resigned from Position 5 prior to the candidate filing period. Tim Carey was sworn in Wednesday to fill Position 5 until an elected commissioner takes office.

A head-on collision just south of the Agate Pass Bridge closed Highway 305 for nearly four hours Monday afternoon. Two drivers were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center and remained in serious condition Tuesday afternoon.

Response to the collision closed the highway in both directions from about 2-5:30 p.m. Monday. Backups stretched for miles.

We’ve heard from a few frazzled commuters and followers on social media wondering why the highway remained closed for so long after the drivers were evacuated. It’s a fair question, and I thought it would be interesting to break down what goes into a response of this nature, according to first responders:

• The collision was reported at 2:09 p.m. Monday by Bainbridge Fire Assistant Chief Luke Carpenter, who happened to driving from the island to a meeting in Bremerton at the time. Carpenter was only a few cars behind the sedan involved in the collision when the wreck occurred.

• About 20 firefighters responded to the scene. The drivers were trapped in their vehicles and had to be cut free. Both drivers were transported away from the scene by 2:35 p.m. The last fire department vehicle cleared at 3:06 p.m. (This aerial image from KOMO nicely illustrates the scope of the scene). Continue reading →

The Bainbridge Island Fire Department issued a statement on its Facebook page urging islanders to install and maintain home smoke alarms.

A smoke alarm might have saved the woman who died in a fire at her Bainbridge home this week. Investigators found no smoke alarms in her home.

Below is the BIFD statement.

While investigators have not been able to pinpoint the exact cause of Saturday morning’s fatal fire on Washington Avenue, they have identified several factors that contributed to the incident’s devastating consequences.

The investigation revealed that the house was likely not equipped with smoke alarms, depriving the occupant of vital early warning of fire.

Investigators also believe that a large volume of personal belongings inside the small structure may have provided additional fuel for the fire and compromised the occupant’s exit routes.

Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a critical role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. Having working smoke alarms reduces the chances of dying in a fire by half. If you or someone you know lives in a residence without smoke alarms, Bainbridge Island Fire Department (BIFD) will provide and install smoke alarms free of charge. Contact the BIFD at (206) 842-7686 to schedule an appointment.

When fire strikes, it’s too late to start developing a home fire escape plan. Officials urge residents to maintain clear escape routes and to practice finding the way out of the home, crawling or staying low to the ground, and feeling the way to safety. Make sure everyone in the home knows at least two ways to escape from each room. Select one meeting place outside so household members can quickly and accurately be accounted for. Smoke alarms provide the minutes needed to escape a fire safely. Home fire escape planning and practice ensure that everyone knows how to use that time effectively.

Continue reading →