Half of the citizens of King County Fire District 40 have petitioned to become part of the City of Renton. This area includes the Cascade and Benson Hill areas. KCFD 40, has two fire stations. One is being rebuilt and will house their headquarters. It is within this annexation area. The other is in the Fairwood area. It is 35 years old and needs rebuilding.
If this vote passes, and by all means it should, then the fire district would be left with one fire station. One fire station for the remaining citizens to protect their homes and sick family members. Neighboring fire agencies can stop sending help to these citizens anytime they decide mutual aid is not needed. Is this what is good for the remaining KCFD 40 citizens?
The Board of Fire Commissioner for King County Fire District 40 have a golden opportunity for it's remaining citizens to use the resources of the City of Renton Fire Department in combination with the resources KCFD 40 currently has and combined with the high expertise of the firefighters it currently has in the form of a Contract for Fire/EMS service with the City.
Doing so will NOT prohibit the remaining area, Fairwood, from incorporating if the citizens there choose to revisit that option. It doesn't hinder or help force any annexation to the City of Renton either.
For the most part, the remaining citizens of KCFD 40 would get equal or better resources than they have now. Renton Fire transports patients free as does KCFD 40 to Valley Medical Center. Renton Fire has a ladder truck, KCFD 40 doesn't and has to rely on the availability of neighboring agencies to loan them that resource.
If the annexation were to pass by the vote of those citizens, the rest are left out in the cold. They get what remains of the assets, they possibly lose that new headquarters to Renton, and have to start over at the remaining one fire station. The employees that have dedicated their lives to the citizens could get the raw end of the deal and the citizens could get a lousy contract for fire/ems service in the end anyway.
NOW is the time for you to attend your King County Fire District 40 Fire Commissioners meetings and tell them to do the safe and right thing, enter into a contract with the City of Renton for services for the entire fire district before an Annexation vote occurs. Don't take a chance and be reactive!!
Posted by mikejohnson752 at April 18, 2007 09:01 PM | Email ThisThanks for the post on this subject. The firefighters who work for those citizens are very concerned about all of this and have approached the Fire Commissioners and told them that the firefighters support contracting with the City of Renton for services at it will be a win-win for the citizens and the firefighters. I attended a Commissioners meeting where a large number of Dist. 40 Fire fighters showed up and voiced their support about contracting with the city of Renton for Fire and EMS services. In my opinion the Fire Commissioners were not very receptive of the this show of support by the firefighters. I encourage the citizens who live within Fire Dist. 40’s area to attend these very important meetings.
I grew up in the area, attended Fairwood Elementary, Meeker, Kentridge, and became a Volunteer Firefighter at FD 40 in 1982. I have worked in the fire service elsewhere but have now been employed as a Firefighter at FD 40 for over 20 years. My youngest daughter now attends Carriage Crest Elementary (in Fairwood area), and I have turned down opportunities to work for other prestigious departments like the City of Seattle because I am truly invested in this area.
I personally have no fear that Fairwood will loose its own unique personality if FD 40 contracts with Renton. FD 40 could stipulate that the Firefighters and equipment serving Fairwood reflect the area. Station 41 could become the Fairwood Station, the logo on our uniforms and Fire Engine could bear the City of Fairwood seal. The King County Sheriff's Department has been doing this for years with their Police service to Cities, and it could be done here to simply honor an area even if it is not yet a City (this is the norm on the East Coast).
Legally a contract with Renton would in no way prevent the citizens in the Fairwood area from incorporating. The Fire Chief of FD 40 has turned in notification that he will be retiring. With that news and the possible annexation of half the District this has become a critical time for FD 40 and the citizens it serves. Please take the time to learn more about the issues, attend the Commissioner's meetings, and make your voice heard.
I do fear that with out your input the fire commissioners that represent you may not be able to make a truly informed decision.