Island County Sheriff Rick Felici wants someone with more specific qualifications to take over the role of county fire marshal.

The sheriff and leaders of the county’s fire districts met with county commissioners last week to discuss a possible change in the position. For years, the sheriff has taken on the state-mandated role of fire marshal, but the policy has many drawbacks, the chiefs and sheriff said. They proposed creating a dedicated fire marshal position with someone experienced in fire-related issues.

The sticking point with commissioners, perhaps unsurprisingly, is how to pay for the position.

“Where we are today is that we essentially don’t have a fire marshal,” Felici said during the workshop meeting.

“I think it’s beyond time to formalize the office of fire marshal,” he added. “There are a lot of skills that are required for the fire marshal position I simply don’t have nor do I have staff that have that, especially when it gets into things like fire suppression systems and inspections.”

In the distant past, the county filled the position by contracting with an expert or by sharing the position with Skagit County, the sheriff said. During a round of budget cutting 33 years ago, the commissioners eliminated funding for the position and named the sheriff as the fire marshal.

A fire marshal is responsible for a range of duties, most importantly commercial fire inspections and fire investigations. The marshal also sets burn bans, liaisons with federal agencies and educates the community about fire safety.

The functions are currently being filled on an ad hoc basis or not at all.

Craig Helgeland, the recently retired fire chief on Camano Island, said fire inspections of commercial buildings in unincorporated areas of the county have been “hit and miss” for years. The districts have taken on the responsibility of doing fire inspections of businesses, but the problem is that the district doesn’t have the enforcement power that the county does.

Commissioner Jill Johnson asked if the lack of commercial fire inspections is a real problem or “just on paper.”

“Since 1992, we’ve been doing it the way we’ve been doing it and I would say that I have not heard a lot of community concern about fire inspection or fire safety in commercial buildings,” she said.

North Whidbey Fire and Rescue Chief Chris Swiger said it’s something the community just isn’t aware of. He pointed out that the city of Oak Harbor has its own fire marshal to do building inspections.

Chief Nick Walsh with South Whidbey Fire/EMS said the lack of inspections creates a risky situation. He pointed to a fire in the basement of a strip mall where several people were living in storage areas and using a system of extension cords, which a fire inspection might have avoided.

There have been other close calls, he said.

“Just one fatality in a small community has a big impact,” he said.

In addition, the lack of inspections means property owners may be paying more for fire insurance. The Washington Survey and Ratings Bureau grades each fire district based on safety metrics. Walsh said the area where the districts score poorly is due to a lack of inspections.

In addition, the sheriff and chiefs said it would be valuable to have a fire marshal who is a certified fire investigator and can assist detectives in arson cases. Felici said detectives often have to turn to different fire agencies to get help with suspicious blazes.

Felici said creating a dedicated fire marshal could be accomplished in several different ways, including creating a “hybridized” position in conjunctions with the districts.

The obstacle is funding.

“County budget is part of the solution,” Commissioner Janet St. Clair said, “but all of our Island County independent fire districts also have available to them budgets as well and I’m not mandating something, I’m asking the question how do we collaborate on this.”

The fire chiefs emphasized they are willing to continue collaborating with the county on inspections and investigations but sharing the costs of a county position might be difficult.

Swiger said the North Whidbey fire district’s budget is very tight and the department has “barely enough to survive.” The district has a lower levy rate than the other districts on the island and can fund only five paid positions.

“If you are looking for money from our district, I’m sorry I don’t have it,” he said.