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Chehalis fire chief outlines options for merger, annexation and a feasibility study
Summary
City staff and the fire chief presented options including functional consolidation, annexation into Fire District 6 or a regional fire authority; officials said a feasibility study and consultant would be needed to quantify fiscal impacts and service changes.
Chehalis city staff and the fire chief briefed the Chehalis City Council on May 12 about ongoing talks with neighboring fire districts and a planned feasibility study to examine merger, functional consolidation or annexation options for fire and EMS services.
The presentation described near-term steps: Fire District 6 is expected to review a draft request for proposals for a consulting firm at a meeting the next day, and the consultant would assess multiple scenarios, ranging from interlocal partnerships to full annexation. The chief said a study would likely take four to six months after a consultant is selected.
The chief said combining agencies can reduce duplication in facilities, equipment and administration, and can improve guaranteed staffing levels for second and third simultaneous alarms. "When we combine resources, we can reduce overlapping. We can reduce duplication in services, duplication in facilities, duplication in equipment, and it creates a much more robust system," the…
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