[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6275230,"mediaKeyId","2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf","parentId",2776001,"title","Fire leadership outlines retention, equipment and long-term planning needs","audioSeconds",357,"startMs",1644000,"endMs",2001000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf&start=1644&end=2001","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf/thumbnail_1644000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6275230/Ocean-Shores/Grays-Harbor-County/Washington/Fire-leadership-outlines-retention-equipment-and-long-term-planning-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275230-572a27a6fb130bc1c879998882ae7936/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190575&Signature=B8eY7QWZNW0qjl5HK~dk5H-Uap-aMH9qB7yng2RJwFcEV~xsj8lndON2Eg1crV1t7~k9aPRzOCLVxTV9Jp8BKPGCLe42YbiGXt~e238u48z5et8tH7GmpMM077k7NFml~q2T8KFmcUHWHxK1rHicL4j1JetiQ7FYiYsq2nbaifn0XLC0QSAmQAd-sF9d~RjGsA~flgJOXMGMWwsUsflMHqp5uaB8mOJDzdPp0TaqSK9xflpqHe~lZZMPnmkEBHJmB4EF-yiAjRUghkp2q3S4nKjwJX~eGpSWpYbwUNJ4HDuXOYC07O3K1lSS7Kg9qWb9pwGZaBEW65STX77t5C19lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Ocean Shores, WA","date","2025-03-26T13:49:29.33Z","article","Fire department leadership presented the department's strategic plan and described recruitment, retention and apparatus funding challenges to the Public Safety Committee.

Leaders said the department operates three shifts using a 48/96 schedule and that turnover among chiefs and other leaders has created instability; they noted roughly 11 chiefs in 19 years as context for retention efforts. The department reported it ran 2,980 calls last year and averages between six and 10 EMS calls per day. Fire leadership said recruitment and retention are constrained by competition from larger agencies, pay differences and the department's island location.

The department outlined a 2024–2028 strategic plan included in a briefing book staff distributed to council members. The plan identifies long-term financial planning for apparatus: a fire engine currently costs about $800,000, a ladder truck about $1.5 million–$1.8 million, and an ambulance roughly $400,000; manufacturers' lead times were described as up to three years. Leadership said they are discussing ways to smooth budget impacts by planning several years in advance rather than requesting large one-time appropriations.

The department is developing programs to address staffing and retention, including a cadet program aimed at high-school students and a proposal to pay for paramedic training for employees who commit to several years of service. Staff said paramedic training would be funded by the city with contractual agreements for a period of service (a current contract requires three years in the collective-bargaining agreement; council members discussed exploring a longer term). The department reported four new volunteers and described the significant upfront cost per volunteer (estimated training and equipment costs described qualitatively), and said it offers five preference points to volunteers on hiring exams.

Leaders also described plans for community programs such as monthly CPR classes and a potential community paramedic program to reduce nonemergent 911 calls by offering follow-up and primary-care linkage. Fire leadership said developing local healthcare resources would improve outcomes and reduce repeated resource use for nonemergent calls.

Committee members received the briefing and asked staff to bring budget and program proposals to the full council for consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03 18 2025 Public Safety Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Fire department leaders described recruitment and retention challenges, long lead times and high costs for apparatus, a strategic plan for 2024–2028 and new programs including a cadet program and paramedic training support for staff.","taxTitle","Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor County, Washington","taxId",72061,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275234,"Ocean Shores police detail facility, staffing and equipment shortfalls to committee",1333,797000,2130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf&start=797&end=2130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf/thumbnail_797000.jpg","/articles/6275234/Ocean-Shores/Grays-Harbor-County/Washington/Ocean-Shores-police-detail-facility-staffing-and-equipment-shortfalls-to-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275234-12cb5bcc69486018b05044364e8003dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190575&Signature=m7c9Su1bKmVgLkIl9XwcnajXCuKZgQgFK-obkIYliUeFGMyEI7mpzrobncBouvbDtbTI5wNcWRMJTWYS99RRtU2yjGbByenXG0w8ws93C3EVmfpcwdFMnNNuRrZcDsUB6x70beM8aXc7xPdQGgQnX5FmGOpD-HzL~BsqShfPnjhvq1gMZSdDDOQLJBg0H03853AVkVW6q1ArdetaGSAPfmmjhg2CbnEsr7a2O3pMIwIwKM07pvOAfEvz59GXXz7OPhIIt5KCFVYMDw6ljFfClEBgsioiK77D3X8XmMeSJwojCMRcizrmBvNa084afKbCPncp6QgP6uGetMq43kog4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ocean Shores Police Department leadership told the Public Safety Committee the department needs a new building, improved facilities and additional staff to meet operational and officer-safety requirements.

Police leadership described narrow hallways, an overheated server room adjacent to the hot-water heater, a lack of a dedicated interview room with mandated audio/video recording capability and insufficient storage space. Staff said these constraints affect officer safety, evidence handling and daily operations.

The department reported recent and planned equipment and staffing changes: three new patrol vehicles are being purchased to replace high-mileage units (the department will keep old vehicles for backup), and the department is actively recruiting for two vacant patrol positions and a vacant deputy chief position. The department said one new hire began on Feb. 16 and will attend the training academy starting April 1 with a projected academy graduation on Aug. 6; that officer will be paired with a field training officer for a minimum of three months.

Police staff described an extended timeline between hiring and when a recruit becomes fully field-ready — roughly nine months to complete the hiring and academy process and another three to four months of local training. The department said it has one reserve officer, one code enforcement officer, an interim deputy chief (a sergeant temporarily promoted) and a newly hired administrative assistant who started Feb. 19.

Volunteers remain a substantial component of public-safety support. Staff said volunteers operated the radar trailer, night watch and property watch programs; the radar trailer had been in for repairs and was recently located and returned for reassembly. Volunteers logged substantial hours last year: night watch 762 hours and property watch 419 hours; volunteers covered thousands of miles in the volunteer vehicle while checking open doors and windows and staffing community events. The department said it currently has 14 volunteers for crime/property watch and 23 volunteers dedicated to kennel duties (two volunteers serve both functions).

Committee members expressed support for police facility upgrades and indicated willingness to champion requests to the full council. Staff requested committee assistance and said they will ask the council for further support as projects and hiring progress.

The committee encouraged continued coordination between staff, volunteers and council as items are prepared for the council agenda.","Police leadership told the Public Safety Committee the department is short-staffed, lacks an appropriate interview room and storage, needs new vehicles and a new building, and relies heavily on volunteers for patrol and kennel operations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275239,"Ocean Shores committee advances plan to transfer city kennel operations to nonprofit",0,248000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf&start=248&end=248","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776001-0aca37611864d2b57a22bf1df6d8afbf/thumbnail_248000.jpg","/articles/6275239/Ocean-Shores/Grays-Harbor-County/Washington/Ocean-Shores-committee-advances-plan-to-transfer-city-kennel-operations-to-nonprofit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275239-76bea107e5f0a14f2919da2ee27e4f31/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190575&Signature=BYZWSgi-pew12pU66wYfy1XF70rQICWSzndMssQWji7Gx3esJbeLGkBzQH~XvM9rtVWoZE-~E5pmbsagcK-bbGOh9BJSZ6VN16dnyPMKMfhVVpn1lh1iwSu2e54U3~zoTEVms9-o2Qg2q3rxqJEgdXoPVGomV4KAEwH4E8H~mt37vaW6~lPG6DdFF7iCv4oGeuIqqg7gt9rr5~yr6olvRdvojBvXeMkl4k85mL5QCQZcKD2uMfxs~pYvSYKB9wo9UD91DxTg~TmZVGjaH9WlvLs7FErPC9oIQlAskxR~zPTAEDzqhWBa9EdPaeS0Dj6LAe6lu~DWeb9bPHPRAIYz6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ocean Shores Public Safety Committee members reviewed proposed changes to the city municipal code and a draft lease and memorandum of understanding intended to allow a local nonprofit to take over day-to-day operation of the municipal animal kennel.

Committee members said the proposal would keep the building under city ownership while shifting routine operations, boarding and adoption revenue, and most operational responsibility to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Committee members and staff said the city would continue to collect statutory impound fees and remain responsible for major structural repairs.

The committee discussed two connected items: amendments to the Ocean Shores Municipal Code to permit nonprofits to run the kennel where the code currently references city-run operations, and a proposed lease and memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would set operating responsibilities, insurance and liability limits. Staff and volunteers said they opened a general request for a nonprofit and that a group calling itself the Salty Dog Animal Rescue (referred to in the meeting) has come forward to operate the kennel under the proposed arrangement.

Committee members and staff said the draft code changes remove language that had limited when animals could be retrieved (specifically removing the prior exclusion of Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for reclaiming impounded animals) so that, with nonprofit staffing, animals could be reclaimed outside standard weekday business hours. Staff also said a portion of the code allowing people to surrender unwanted animals (identified in the draft as a section in the code) was removed; under the proposed MOU the nonprofit would guarantee three of the kennel panel's five available surrender slots to the city while otherwise prioritizing returning animals to their owners or finding alternative placements to avoid overloading the kennel.

On liability and insurance, staff said the Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) was consulted and that the nonprofit would be required to carry insurance limits recommended by WCIA; committee members were told the change would move most day-to-day liability from the city to the nonprofit. Legal counsel for the city (Kendra Rosenberg) reviewed the draft agreement and staff cited a similar arrangement used by the city of Auburn as precedent.

Committee members raised operational questions, including kennel capacity in emergencies and how volunteers would meet demand during disasters. Staff and volunteers said current kennel space is limited and that the department uses roughly two-thirds of a building that could allow expansion if other city functions relocate. The committee also discussed impound fee handling: staff confirmed the city will still collect impound fees when an officer brings an animal to the kennel, while the nonprofit would receive boarding, adoption and other fees collected after intake, per the draft code language and MOU.

Members of the committee indicated their questions about liability and capacity were substantive but centered on implementation details in the MOU and lease rather than the code amendment itself. The committee voted by consensus to bring the two items back to the full Ocean Shores City Council for formal consideration at a future council meeting.

Committee staff said public comment on the code amendment had not been scheduled for this committee meeting; staff indicated public comment would likely occur when the items return to the full council agenda. Staff also said the draft code did not name the nonprofit organization explicitly so future handoffs could proceed without further code amendments if a different nonprofit were to take over.

The committee directed staff to prepare the ordinance amendment and the lease/MOU for council consideration and to continue coordinating with the city attorney and WCIA on insurance and liability language. The items will appear on a future council agenda for formal action.","The Ocean Shores Public Safety Committee reviewed proposed amendments to the municipal code and a draft lease/MOU to allow a 501(c)(3) to operate the city kennel; the committee agreed to bring the items back to the full council for approval after further review of liability and capacity issues.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fire leadership outlines retention, equipment and long-term planning needs

Ocean Shores police detail facility, staffing and equipment shortfalls to committee

Ocean Shores committee advances plan to transfer city kennel operations to nonprofit