Swinomish grant Fire District 13 $300,000

For Fire District 13 commissioners, it was numbers that told the story of how 2022 is shaping up.

The biggest one is $300,000 in funding support from the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement during their hybrid meeting Friday, April 8.

Other numbers shared by District Fire Chief Wood Weiss tracked falling COVID-19 cases in the district, while calls for service – including those for patient transports – rising.

Positive COVID-19 cases on Swinomish Reservation were under three dozen over the past month, matching a countywide downward trend, he said.

Even so, he remained cautious.

“It’s still out there,” Weiss said.

Numbers have doubled for transports, to 32, from 15 in March 2020.

“That’s a big jump,” he noted. “It’s getting to the point where it would be nice to have a second crew.”

The fire district’s collaboration with Swinomish also includes a crisis response unit project undertaken jointly by District 13 EMT/Firefighter Andrew Schram and Swinomish Tribal Police.

“He (Schram) has gone over to Swinomish police and started building a program that will allow him to ride with them as an EMT on calls involving mental health issues. It’s a good deal,” Weiss said. “I think it’s very worthwhile and allows for more mutual assistance between Swinomish and Fire District 13.”

The tribal police force and Fire District 13 are joining forces to coordinate local emergency management plans, FD 13 Capt. Ted Taylor said of his recent work with Brian Geer.

In other District 13 business:

Commissioner Bobbie Scopa resigned. She moved out of the district. See story below.

Commissioners are changing their meeting date to the second Thursday, starting May 12, at

9 a.m..

Station One at Summit Park has been the target of another break-in, with fuel apparently siphoned from a vehicle parked at the station.

Training Officer Drew Jenkins was promoted to lieutenant in a ceremony attended by his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Emma.

Jenkins said there are 11 trainees, including seven Skagit Valley College students, attending FD 13’s in-house academy.

Weiss reported that La Conner Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Aaron Reinstra will become the new La Conner code enforcement/fire chief, a full-time position, if approved by the town council. “Chief Reinstra has been their volunteer chief and now it looks like he’ll become a (paid) chief. His old job closed up and the Town looks like it wants to wrap him up.” Commissioner John Doyle also praised Reinstra for his work in helping schedule combined District 13-La Conner training opportunities.