Among the other fire and emergency response agencies serving East Jefferson County, Naval Magazine Indian Island wants its surrounding civilian community to know they’re there when needed.

According to Sheila Murray, deputy of public affairs for Navy Region Northwest, Naval Magazine Indian Island is one of nine naval installations that Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services provides with direct fire protection and emergency services.

The other installations include Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton, Bangor and Keyport, as well as Naval Hospital Jackson Park, Naval Base Everett, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, SeaPlane Base and Manchester Fuel Depot.

Fire Station 91 is located in Building 301 on West Road on Naval Magazine Indian Island, and the region headquarters is located in Building 76 on Naval Base Kitsap Keyport.

Region Fire Chief Frank Montone is in charge of Station 91’s crew of eight firefighters and emergency medical technicians, with two on-site captains and no less than four personnel on duty, 24 hours a day.

Navy Region Northwest has 186 firefighters total for the region, with no volunteers.

Murray reported their calls for service totaled 236 from Oct. 1, 2017, through Sept. 30, 2018, of which 200 were responses to assist mutual aid partners off base.   

Murray said the biggest changes for Station 91 in the past year have been its new regional fire chief, Monroe, and its new deputy fire chief.

“Chief Kurt Waeschle retired in May of this year, and Frank Montone became the regional fire chief,” Murray said. “Corey White replaced him as the deputy fire chief.”

Station 91 also placed a new brush and rescue truck in service that replaced two previous apparatuses in June.

Murray credited Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services with joining 259 fire agencies internationally to be accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and Center for Public Safety Excellence.

“Currently, only 10 percent of the U.S. population is protected by accredited agencies,” Murray said. “Accreditation is an all-hazard, quality-improvement model based on risk analysis and self-assessment that promotes the establishment of community-adopted performance targets for fire and emergency service agencies.”

Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services was the first Navy Region agency to be accredited in 2008, with on-site assessment by Commission on Fire Accreditation peer assessors every five years.      

Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services has also won the Navy Large Fire Department of Year title in 2011 and 2013, and the Department of Defense Fire Prevention Program of the Year title in 2011 and 2012, winning runner-up in 2017.

This year, Station 91 crews have received a Life-Saving Award and Significant Achievement Award by Commander, Navy Installations Command in Washington, D.C.

“While Engine 91 has responded to numerous fires, medical calls and a hazardous materials incident, the biggest call from this previous year was a response to assist mutual aid with a serious motor vehicle accident on the Hood Canal Bridge,” Murray said. “Engine 91 effectively collaborated with Port Ludlow Fire and Rescue to safely stabilize a vehicle and remove a patient.”

Murray deemed “the big event,” for the remainder of this year through March of next year, to be their next accreditation assessment.

“A Peer Team is currently reviewing the Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services Risk Assessment and Standard of Cover, Strategic Plan, which is comprised of 252 performance indicators of the self-assessment manual, and its supporting documents, to prepare for an assessment visit in November, as well as a board review in March,” Murray said.  

Although Station 91 at Indian Island is currently fully staffed, Murray encouraged firefighters interested in joining Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services to attend the next Federal Hiring Event at WorkSource Kitsap in Bremerton, or to monitor USAJobs.gov for job announcements.