Submitted by Orcas Island Fire and Rescue

Orcas Island Fire and Rescue and the San Juan County Sheriff’s department received a 911 report of an individual with injuries located on the side of the road on the night of Jan. 20. The caller reported dispatching that this was potentially a vehicle versus pedestrian accident. The fire department and the sheriff’s department initiated a response to the incident location which was just beyond the Doe Bay Resort.

As the fire department response vehicle and the sheriff’s response vehicle approached the intersection at Rosario Road and Olga Road, the two vehicles collided. The drivers of both vehicles received only minor abrasions from the accident and did not require ambulance transport. There was substantial damage to both vehicles. There was no civilian involvement with this accident.

Additional sheriff’s department and fire department personnel continued to respond to the initial 911 dispatch. The paramedic involved in the accident was picked up by another responding medical unit and continued to the initial incident to provide aid to the individual at Doe Bay. That individual was treated and released at the scene after it was determined they had not been struck by a vehicle.

OIFR thanks all emergency responders from the fire department and sheriff’s department for their professional management of these incidents. Automobile accidents are the second leading cause of death for police officers nation-wide and account for 25 percent of firefighter fatalities each year.

“Responding to 911 incidents remains one of the most dangerous parts of the job for all first responders,” OIFR Chief Scott Williams said. “We are grateful [that] in this accident that no one was seriously hurt. The desire and willingness for our duty officer to continue on to the original call after being involved in a significant collision speaks volumes to the type of dedication our department members have to their community.”

The cause of the accident is under investigation at this time.