Published: Sunday, April 4, 2010
Some fire districts have found it works better to join forces
The future of fire service in south Snohomish County still may be up for debate, but firefighters in other parts of the county already have joined forces.
For example, the Marysville Fire District sprang from a merger between Fire Districts 12 and 20.
Monroe annexed into Fire District 3 five years ago.
Fire Districts 14 and 18, which served rural north Snohomish County, in 2008 created the North County Regional Fire Authority. Its approval by voters marked a first for the county.
“I think it’s more cost-effective,” said fire authority Chief Dale Fulfs, formerly the Fire District 18 chief. “Together we could do a lot more than we could do separately.”
Fire authorities, allowed under a 2004 state law, clear the way for cities and fire districts and tribal governments to establish a governance structure that meets the area’s fire protection needs.
Later this month, voters in Kent are scheduled to decide whether to create a regional fire authority. A study is underway for a similar proposal in Bremerton.
Across the state, the number of fire districts has shrunk.
The state Legislature authorized fire protection districts in the 1940s, part of an effort to organize what had been a loose collection of small, rural fire departments.
At their peak, there were 420 fire protection districts statewide, said Roger Ferris, executive secretary for the Washington Fire Commissioners Association. Today, there are about 370.
“Probably 50 districts have either merged with other districts or they have been annexed by cities,” Ferris said.
Forming fire authorities can be a more efficient way to provide fire services and it bypasses many of the hassles connected to annexations, consolidations and mergers, proponents say.
“There’s a lot of duplication that occurs when you have several small jurisdictions,” said Mike Brown, executive director of the Washington Fire Chiefs Association.
Herald reporter Jackson Holtz contributed to this story.
Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com.
For example, the Marysville Fire District sprang from a merger between Fire Districts 12 and 20.
Monroe annexed into Fire District 3 five years ago.
Fire Districts 14 and 18, which served rural north Snohomish County, in 2008 created the North County Regional Fire Authority. Its approval by voters marked a first for the county.
“I think it’s more cost-effective,” said fire authority Chief Dale Fulfs, formerly the Fire District 18 chief. “Together we could do a lot more than we could do separately.”
Fire authorities, allowed under a 2004 state law, clear the way for cities and fire districts and tribal governments to establish a governance structure that meets the area’s fire protection needs.
Later this month, voters in Kent are scheduled to decide whether to create a regional fire authority. A study is underway for a similar proposal in Bremerton.
Across the state, the number of fire districts has shrunk.
The state Legislature authorized fire protection districts in the 1940s, part of an effort to organize what had been a loose collection of small, rural fire departments.
At their peak, there were 420 fire protection districts statewide, said Roger Ferris, executive secretary for the Washington Fire Commissioners Association. Today, there are about 370.
“Probably 50 districts have either merged with other districts or they have been annexed by cities,” Ferris said.
Forming fire authorities can be a more efficient way to provide fire services and it bypasses many of the hassles connected to annexations, consolidations and mergers, proponents say.
“There’s a lot of duplication that occurs when you have several small jurisdictions,” said Mike Brown, executive director of the Washington Fire Chiefs Association.
Herald reporter Jackson Holtz contributed to this story.
Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com.
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