Senator Liz Lovelett (D-Anacortes), Representative Debra Lekanoff (D-Anacortes), and Representative Alex Ramel (D-Bellingham) released the following statement in response to the fire in downtown Friday Harbor:
“We are saddened to see the devastation in our community following the fire in downtown Friday Harbor. Thank you to San Juan Island Fire & Rescue, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, Suquamish and Tillikum Washington State Ferries crew members, and all others who assisted in the quick response and ongoing efforts to ensure the area is safe. As of now it looks like the fire is mostly contained, and that is thanks to the hard work of our first responders.
While it is a relief to know that no one was injured, our thoughts are with the residents and local businesses affected by this disaster. We are committed to ensuring the state is involved with helping the community recover and helping these small businesses get back up on their feet. As we did in response to the recent flooding, we will coordinate and collaborate across levels of government to ensure our community receives the support it needs.
This session, the Legislature invested $75 million for small business disaster response, innovation, and resiliency. Together, we will work to ensure funds such as these are used to help our community recover physically and economically from this tragedy.”
