Skagit County First Responders Foundation

06/06/2026

👉🏼BEFORE YOU DRIVE, SECURE YOUR LOAD

Today is Secure Your Load Safety Day, and it is an important reminder that roadway safety starts before you pull out of the driveway.

Loose items in the back of a truck or trailer can fall, shift, or fly into the roadway, creating serious hazards for:

🚗 Drivers
🏍️ Motorcyclists
🚲 Bicyclists
🚶 Pedestrians
🚧 Road crews
🚒 First responders

Before you hit the road, take a moment to check your load.

✔️ Tie it down
✔️ Cover it
✔️ Strap it
✔️ Check it twice

A few extra minutes can prevent a crash, an injury, or an emergency response.

The Skagit County First Responders Foundation encourages everyone to help keep Skagit County roads safe!

06/05/2026

🌎 Today is World Environment Day, a reminder that caring for our environment also means caring for the communities we call home.

Our beautiful forests, rivers, farmland, trails, and neighborhoods are part of what makes this place so special. When we each do our part to protect them, we help create a safer and healthier place for everyone.

Simple steps can make a big difference:

🌲 Dispose of trash properly
🌲 Keep roadsides, parks, and trails clean
🌲 Practice fire safety when enjoying the outdoors
🌲 Be mindful of burn restrictions and local conditions
🌲 Prepare your home and property for wildfire season
🌲 Look out for one another and our shared community spaces

The Skagit County First Responders Foundation is grateful for the first responders who help protect our community every day, and for the neighbors who do their part to keep Skagit County safe, clean, and beautiful.

Together, we can care for our community and the environment we all share. 💚

06/04/2026

Mark your calendars, Blast from the Past in Sedro Woolley is this weekend!

This is such a fun opportunity to connect with the community!

Stop by and say hello! Bring the family, enjoy the festivities, and help celebrate the incredible community that makes Skagit County so special ✨

Blast from the Past is a local three day Sedro-Woolley Event generally held the first weekend in June

06/03/2026

🚲 World Bicycle Day is June 3! 🚲

The Skagit County First Responders Foundation would like to remind our community that bicycle safety is important for riders, drivers, and families alike.

Whether you are riding through town, heading out on a trail, or helping your kids enjoy a bike ride around the neighborhood, a these few simple safety steps can make a big difference!

Together, we can help keep Skagit County roads, trails, and neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Thank you for doing your part to look out for one another! ❤️

06/01/2026

Beginning in May 29 2026, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will be repainting the SR 536/West Division Street bridge over the Skagit Riv...

06/01/2026

It’s wild how time flys, it’s already been 1 year since Chief Cammock retired from Mount Vernon Police Department! His story is deeply rooted in Mount Vernon. From a young age, he was drawn to service, and after a few memorable ride alongs, he saw firsthand the kind of impact law enforcement could have on a community. That early interest eventually led him to the Mount Vernon Police Department, where he began as a patrol officer in 1989 and went on to serve the community for 35 years.

We are honored to share a piece of Chief Cammock's experience as a first responder and a leader in our community with below questions:


What did serving Mount Vernon, the community you grew up in, mean to you personally?
If I’m being honest, I really didn’t know how lucky I was until years into my career. I think at the time I figured everyone got to work where they wanted and I came to realize that just wasn’t the case.
My introduction to MVPD was in high school helping a handyman around Chief Ron Tarry’s house on a weekend. The first day, we sat outside at lunch on log stumps and he joined us. I told him a friend of my Dad’s had introduced me to the Washington State Patrol so I was interested in law enforcement. He invited me to do a ride along at MVPD. Ironically, the first person I rode with was Sergeant Jerry Dodd and I followed him into the Chief’s position when he retired. I went onto volunteer as a K-9 Quarry and did an internship while attending Skagit Valley College. I was hooked and MVPD was the only place I wanted to work.

As my career progressed, I had the opportunity to work in different Divisions or positions and that’s when the value of being home grown really sunk in. Community relationships, knowledge of the different neighborhoods, schools, business areas, annexations, and just living through the growth of Mount Vernon provided a unique perspective for the types of programs and strategies the Department was building for the quality of life desired.

Looking back, it was tremendously rewarding to be given the chance to give back to those who had put up with me growing up on Madison Park Drive, attending Roosevelt, Madison, LaVenture, Mount Vernon High and Skagit Valley College!

What values were most important to you as chief?
Policing is a people business and people problems are some of the most diverse and complex you will encounter. Certainly, values like integrity, loyalty and professionalism are foundational but selfless, compassion, genuineness, empathy are equally high. We serve people who have granted us the authority to regulate their choices and it’s a huge responsibility. We don’t always agree with their choices, and they don’t always agree with ours. It’s important we go about our work with organizational values and canons of ethics that reflect community norms and values and use them to guide our decisions in very human ways. Relevancy was always forefront on my mind for how the community viewed our organization.

What do you think makes Mount Vernon special, as it relates to the police department? The people. I was so fortunate to have worked for/with some very transformational thinkers over my career. They weren’t just bosses. They were frontline operators, supervisors, support staff, citizen volunteers and peers within the City/County. These were Individuals who had vision and drive to make things better. They pushed us to be innovative in our beliefs, approaches, program designs and tools. Creating space for the community to be ‘apart of and not apart from’ our policing efforts was forefront. This transformed into citizens actively engaged in policing activities and our citizen volunteer programs grew to be larger than any other Division in the organization. This was unique to Mount Vernon and the culture created by early on leaders was ahead of their time. Our Citizen’s Academy program has been in place for over three decades, It’s helped hundreds of residents understand the difficulty of our work and the important role they have in policing the community. The foresight for Citizen’s Academy became most visible in 2021/22 when the cry to disband police agencies was occurring across the country. In Mount Vernon (and Skagit County), our communities supported our policing efforts while at the same time protesting the injustices they felt were occurring elsewhere. You can’t achieve this without years of genuine relationship building. Other examples were police officers assigned to neighborhoods and schools, putting social work formally into police work, cutting edge investigative practices, technology advancements and less lethal tools. It was some of the most rewarding, professional experiences I’ve had the privilege of being a part of.

Do you have any words of wisdom for first responder families?
The work your loved ones do is noble and the sacrifice you put into supporting them is as noble, don’t forget it. There will be times you feel outside their world or perhaps secondary to their work but know, YOU are critical to our success. Public service comes with sacrifice and selflessness and it’s not for everyone. Remember, careers last year’s; families are a lifetime.

What have you enjoyed the most in retirement? A friend jokingly sent me a text when I first retired saying I was now a “Full-Time Recreationist”. I loved that title and coveted it ever since because “Retired” felt like there was a ceiling on fun and opportunity. “Recreationists” have endless possibilities and it’s been awesome to replace my ‘work lane’ with new things (that still require work by the way) but the freedom to choose what my time is invested in. They say “Do what you love, never work a day in your life.” I loved being a Mount Vernon Police Officer and I’ve had no regrets moving on to my next career as a Full-Time Recreationist! I would like to extend a special thanks to all the people I worked with or worked for over the years including a few of the ‘clients’ along the way who share where their lives changed because we crossed paths. I couldn’t have enjoyed the work so much without all the relationships!

Chief Cammock has been able to enjoy retirement for the past year, he left behind a career built on connection, trust, and genuine care for people. His dedication helped shape a department that values community relationships just as much as public safety. While this chapter may have came to a close, his love for Mount Vernon and his commitment to serving others will continue through his family, volunteer work, and the community he has always called home. Please help me in thanking Chief Cammock for his selfless service and dedication to our community!

06/01/2026

Today we remember Trooper Sean O’Connell Jr.

Sean M. O'Connell Jr. was born on September 10, 1974, in West Islip, New York, to Diane Tufaro and Sean O'Connell Sr. He spent his formative years attending Pawling High School in New York before moving to Washington State. O'Connell continued his education by attending Olympic College and the University of Phoenix, earning an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice.

His life of service to his community and country began with the United States Navy in October 1992. O'Connell served over four years and participated in the liberation of Kuwait following Operation Desert Storm, earning numerous awards and commendations.

After the military, O'Connell's desire to continue to serve lead him to the Washington State Patrol. Hired as a trooper cadet on July 15, 1998, O'Connell became a member of the 82nd Trooper Basic Training Class. Trooper O'Connell was commissioned on March 1, 1999, and assigned to Marysville. He joined the Marysville motors unit in May 2012. Trooper O'Connell's tenure with the patrol included being selected as Trooper of the Year in 2003.

Trooper Sean M. O'Connell, Jr., died on May 31, 2013, at the age of 38. The Skagit River Bridge had collapsed just a week prior, creating an increase of traffic on arterial roads being utilized as detours. Trooper O'Connell was riding his motorcycle, checking the length of the back up in Conway in the area of Fir Island Road and Greenfield Street when he was struck and killed by a box truck. At the time of his death, Trooper O'Connell had served almost 15 years with the Washington State Patrol.

Trooper O'Connell's wife, Alissa, lives in Snohomish with their two children, Kian (age 20) and Miley (age 17). Kian is attending Everett Community College. Miley is currently a senior. His father, Sean O'Connell, Sr., and step-mom, Rita, split their time between their homes in New York and Florida. Sean's mother, Diane Tufaro and her spouse, Carole, built a home in Massachusetts. Sean's brother Francis is an emergency doctor and his wife, Maripili, is a global recruiter for IRC (International Rescue Committee). They live with their three children in Arlington, Virginia. Sean has two younger sisters. Julia, graduated from Ross University with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). Lauren graduated Siena College in Loudonville, New York, with her degree in engineering. She works with Glumac/Tretra Tech Engineering Firm in Seattle. Their mother, Loretta O'Hara, who was also Sean's mom as he was growing up, lives in Pawling, New York. Sean's grandmother, Virginia, lives in Massapequa, New York and will turn 100 in September.

On December 6, 2013, the new Skagit River Bridge was named in honor of fallen Trooper Sean M. O'Connell, Jr., preserving his memory in a place traveled daily by countless members of the public. This enduring dedication stands as a reminder of his service, his sacrifice, and the legacy he left behind.

On May 30, 2014, a dedication ceremony of the memorial to honor and remember Trooper Sean M. O'Connell, Jr., was held at the Marysville District Office. When you visit the Marysville District Office, take a moment to stop by the beautiful memorial that was created in remembrance of Trooper O'Connell.

In May of 2014, Trooper O'Connell was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for his actions on May 31, 2013, by the Law Enforcement – Medal of Honor Committee.

In May 2023, a ceremony was held at the Marysville District Office to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Trooper O'Connell's sacrifice. The event provided an opportunity for reflection and remembrance, honoring his service and the enduring legacy he left within the Washington State Patrol and the community he served.

Please take a moment to remember Trooper O'Connell and his family.

05/30/2026

Join the Skagit County K9 Heroes Fund for Muddy Paws on May 30, 2026, a fun community event supporting our county K9 units and the heroes who serve alongside them.

Participants can choose from a 2.1 mile, 5K, or 10K, followed by an after party picnic with food, music, dogs, raffle prizes, swag, and more. Registration is from 8 to 9 a.m., with the race starting at 9:15 a.m.

This is a great way to get outside, support local K9 teams, and enjoy a family friendly day in our community.

* Music * Food * Dogs * FREE raffle prizes * Swag *​ T-shirts * Skagit County K9 Heroes Fund, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, supporting our county K9 Units and heroes ready to serve. For more info - www.k9heroesfund.com

05/29/2026

Help improve public understanding of when and how to call 911 by taking a short community awareness survey. Your feedback can help identify gaps, reduce confusion, and support faster emergency response when it matters most.

Sponsored by the WA State 911 Public Education Sub-Committee. For more info, visit 911info.wa.gov

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/911-Survey

#911