Simone Carter
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
(TNS)
Aug. 1—Fife could get a new fire station if that city’s voters approve Proposition 1 on the Aug. 6 primary ballot.
The proposal would allow Pierce County Fire District No. 10, which covers Fife and surrounding areas like Fife Heights, to issue bonds to build a station and acquire land. Fife is annexed to that fire district, which would continue a contract for services with the city of Tacoma, said district liaison Jeff Jensen.
Fife’s fire station is about 70 years old, he told The News Tribune. It has been remodeled twice, most recently in 1997.
“It is way past time of needing replacement,” said Jensen, who serves as Tacoma Fire Department’s deputy chief.
Property taxes would be collected annually to cover the cost, totaling up to $30 million within a two-decade period, according to a city of Fife digital monthly newsletter.
Jensen said it would equate to 38 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That means residents who own $400,000 homes would pay $15.20 each month.
The money would also be used to acquire the two or so acres needed for the new construction, he said. A couple locations are in the running, but he didn’t offer specifics, citing ongoing negotiations.
The new station would include five fire-apparatus bays, a training room, laundry facilities, storage and other features, Jensen said. It would be equipped to “maintain the comfort and necessities of the firefighters for a 24-hour shift.”
The city of Tacoma, meanwhile, would continue providing the firefighters and trucks.
Advocates argue that working out of a new building would help protect first responders’ health.
“I think the main issue is firefighter safety right now,” Jensen said.
Insufficient air movement is a major concern with old fire stations.
When a truck or engine backs into the facility, diesel exhaust can be released into the air, Jensen said. Inadequate separation between where trucks park and living quarters can present a problem.
Jensen further highlighted concerns surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. The current Fife station is “a big, huge bedroom” lacking privacy, he said, but according to today’s standards, everyone should have their own sleeping area.
A better building layout could also improve response times since firefighters would be able to move around more efficiently, Jensen said. There isn’t an architectural rendering of the space available just yet, though.
Jensen presented the proposal to the Fife City Council on May 14. During that meeting, he noted how two firefighters recently died of cancer linked to on-the-job issues.
The floor soon opened up to council members for questions.
“So you kind of articulated the need of why we’re doing it,” Fife Deputy Mayor Bryan Yambe said during the meeting. “In the hypothetical, if we do nothing — and say this gets voted down — what happens?”
Jensen replied that the structure will still need attention, such as with an HVAC-systems upgrade.
“But the biggest issue is maintaining a safe environment inside the building,” he said. “We’d have to spend some money and figure out how to do that.”
Proposition 1 was laid out in a recent voters’ pamphlet.
Members of the “for” committee noted that the building was erected at a time when the department was mostly volunteer. They wrote that the structure isn’t big enough, and that it also doesn’t adhere to modern station standards.
Another health risk is that it doesn’t have a decontamination space for gear and clothing, the committee continued.
No anti-Prop 1 statement was submitted. Jensen told The News Tribune that he hasn’t heard anything negative from the community.
If voters don’t pass the proposition during the August primary, officials might consider bringing the issue back in the General Election, Jensen said. They may also rethink the bond’s length and cost.
“We can’t just not respond out of that station,” Jensen said. “It’s a key location for the Tacoma Fire Department to offer quick response to the city of Fife and the surrounding areas, so we would just have to have some serious discussions about what’s next.”
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