Ron Garner has been volunteering on San Juan Island since 1984.In the early years, he and his late wife served with the National Historical Park as interpretive rangers. Ron taught junior high school in Ohio, so they came out during summer vacations to work.

In 1996, they settled here and he volunteered at English camp, where he now is involved with the yearly encampments demonstrating blacksmithing, woodworking or pioneer life. He also marches with the National Park Service color guard.

Ron volunteers for the American Red Cross as a photographer and is the liaison between the American Red Cross and San Juan Island Fire Rescue. He also volunteers at the Life Care Center, helping residents with their genealogies and to run a garden-model railroad. He has also volunteered at the library and with 4-H.

Starting in 1985, Ron volunteered with the Town of Friday Harbor Fire Department as a structural firefighter and PIO/photographer. Then, in 1996, he joined San Juan Island Fire Rescue.

In 2006, he became head of the FireWise Program and brought it from four participating neighborhoods to 45 neighborhoods, including neighborhoods on Orcas Island, Lopez, Decatur, Johns, Pearl and Stuart islands. Ron was awarded one the top awards in the nation for his service. Neighborhoods are definitely encouraged to join this program.

Ron still participates with FireWise but has handed leadership of the program to another San Juan Island firefighter. He also is the crew chief for the logistics team that provides meals for firefighters when they are fighting fires. He also continues as photographer.

Ron’s newest project for San Juan Island Fire Rescue is the Major Emergency Response Team (MERT) program. When he was a volunteer for the American Red Cross after Katrina, he noticed many of the victims went to their local fire stations for information, but stations weren’t being staffed as the firefighters were out helping others. Knowing that would happen here, he worked on getting a program established under the auspices of the San Juan Island Fire Rescue. He wrote a manual, recruited volunteers from each of the six geographical fire station areas and held classes instructing what to do in case the MERT is needed in his/her area. The team will gather information and be a communication source for neighbors and first responders alike. New volunteers for MERT are always welcome. Now, during a major emergency, local residents can receive information at their local fire station.

As you can see, Ron is a volunteer with a flare for helping out in many different ways. San Juan Island Fire Rescue in indeed fortunate to have him.

San Juan Island Fire Rescue welcomes all interested men and women to drop by the Mullis Street station and make an appointment to attend a drill on Monday nights to see what we are all about. Our phone number is 360-378-5334.

Find out more about SJI Fire & Rescue by visiting, www.sjifire.org

—Sheila Harley, SJI Fire & Rescue