The South Snohomish County dispatch center, SNOCOM, is welcoming back Fire District 1, reversing a decision by the district’s former administration.
Returning to SNOCOM in January was a good decision on the part of the fire district — it made no sense to leave in the first place.
The majority of the district’s service is the same area covered by SNOCOM. A majority of the fire departments the district works with on a day-to-day basis – Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Edmonds – use SNOCOM. District 1’s return will ensure a more seamless loop when it comes to 911 communications.
The return will make it easier for firefighters to do their jobs and save money for district residents, not to mention the current members of SNOCOM. Cities that will see savings include Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Mill Creek and the town of Woodway.
The workload and financial challenges caused when the district left SNOCOM in 2003 made for understandable hard feelings. If the members had known the district would come back after one year, members and SNOCOM could have made more favorable budget and operational plans.
All that aside, it was wise of the SNOCOM board to welcome the district back cautiously, with a contract at first and possibly restoring member status in the future. Hopefully, District 1 will realize the benefit of a unified dispatch service and won’t lose it this time, and won’t again negatively affect so many in the future.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
