The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

With dwindling volunteer numbers and other concerns, Fire District #1 on Puget Island is proposing a merger with Fire District #4.

Leaders of the two departments hope to get enough signatures on a petition, which is set to go in the mail to Puget Island residents soon, to move forward.

Chiefs from both departments believe the merger will be a good move.

“It’s not a cost saving measure so much as it is about providing better service for residents, and better training for our volunteers,” Puget Island Fire Chief Scott Kehrli said.

District #4 Fire Chief Jim Wilson echoed the statement.

“There would be unity of command,” Wilson said. “It would allow us to work as one, which should allow us to speed up response time.”

It would also give District #1 volunteers a chance to receive more enhanced training from credentialed instructors and access to newer equipment.

There would be a financial benefit as well, beginning with a savings of $10,000 a year on insurance premiums if the two departments were joined, according to Wilson. District #4 Fire Department has experience with grant writing which would be an added benefit to District #1.

The financial benefit extends to Puget Island residents as well. A recent state survey lowered the department’s rating for homes within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant. The lowered rating means lower insurance rates.

According to a letter from Kehrli, “The new rating was possible in part because of the manpower and equipment that District #4 can offer to the island for aid.”

.Kehrli expressed concerns about volunteer numbers on Puget Island, another issue that would be remedied by a merger.

“Some of us are getting ready to retire,” he said. “I’ve served for 38 years myself.”

He has already given notice. His last day will be January 1, 2017.

In a letter to Puget Island residents, commissioners from the Puget Island Fire District outlined their reasons for the proposal as follows:

• More efficient and improved fire protection services

• Cost savings for equipment to protect our fire fighters and vehicle maintenance

• Access to a larger pool of personnel and volunteer responders

• Expanded opportunities for training, experience and leadership development

• Reduced expenses such as state auditing costs, election costs and insurance premiums

Signatures from 60 percent of the island residents are required for the petition to pass. If it does not pass, the proposed merger will go to ballot in the next election.