Thanks to annexations, Lynnwood and Mukilteo could be neighbors by next year.
Housewarming gifts could come sooner.
The cities are exploring a partnership that could partially tie their fire departments together as soon as this fall.
An agreement would ease the fire departments into an area currently serviced by Snohomish County Fire District 1.
The two cities are working on independent annexations of unincorporated Snohomish County in the Lake Serene area.
“Neither one of us have been out there yet,” said Tod Gates, assistant chief of operations with the Lynnwood Fire Department.
The Snohomish County Boundary Review Board has already approved both annexation plans.
That doesn’t mean annexation is ensured. Lynnwood’s plans are being challenged in Snohomish County Superior Court, and Mukilteo still needs the approval of its own City Council and the annexed voters.
Still, it is important that plans exist for quality fire service in the annexation areas, said Mukilteo Fire Chief Mike Springer.
The talks could create two new high-level employees: a medical services officer and a battalion chief. Both new hires would likely be Lynnwood employees and work half-time with Mukilteo, Springer said.
Mukilteo currently splits an MSO with the city of Everett as part of an agreement that has also brought Everett paramedics into the city. The contract with Lynnwood would replace the Everett arrangement, Springer said.
An MSO would manage emergency medical services for the two cities — dealing with hospitals and performing quality assurance, education and field supervision.
Lynnwood does not have an MSO currently.
It’s a big-city service that, without a partnership, Lynnwood might not be able to afford, Gates said.
“It is a little bit of a luxury for a two-station fire department, but our size belies our activity level,” he said. “We’re a city on the cusp right now.”
Lynnwood has plans to open a third fire station this winter at Highway 99 and 156th Street SW, in its potential annexation area.
The station would be about a half-mile from what could become Mukilteo’s new city limits.
The partnership between the cities could eventually expand to include Lynnwood using its new station to serve some parts of Mukilteo, he said. Mukilteo is also considering staffing its own station.
“We’ll be out there,” Gates said. “Providing service (with Mukilteo) is a natural outgrowth of that.”
Chris Fyall: 425-339-3447, cfyall@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
