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Committee hears bill to reestablish fire service policy board to advise State Fire Marshal
Summary
Lawmakers heard testimony supporting House Bill 1628, which would create a Fire Service Policy Board to advise the State Fire Marshal on budget, training and service delivery; supporters said the board has little fiscal impact and would formalize existing collaboration following a 2023 work group report.
The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee heard House Bill 1628 on March 18, a bill sponsored in the House by Representative Dan Bernoski that would create a Fire Service Policy Board to advise the State Fire Marshal on matters including budget requests, training and statewide service delivery.
Supporters said the board would formalize coordination that has so far been informal and would draw on recommendations from a 2023 fire service delivery work group. "The work group determined that the State Fire Marshal's Office cannot maintain adequate levels of response and service to communities," said Danielle Creech, staff to the committee, during the bill briefing, summarizing the 2023 study that led to the recommendation.
Representative Dan Bernoski, who spent 24 years in the fire service, told senators the advisory board would give fire service leaders a formal mechanism to convey needs to state government. "As the mission and focus of the fire service continues to change, it's only appropriate that we convey our needs to the state government," Bernoski said.
Leaders of statewide fire organizations urged passage. "We believe the reinstatement of the policy board is an important step that does have little to no fiscal impact, but will bring a great opportunity for formal voice and coordination and collaboration," said Steve Brooks, executive director of the Washington Fire Chiefs Association. Nick Gollickson of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters said the State Fire Marshal's Office "has been significantly underfunded for well over a decade" and described the bill as a way to convene experts representing primary statewide associations. Andrew Shaffrin of the Washington State Firefighters Association said the board would help the associations "have 1 voice with the Fire Marshal's Office."
Committee staff said the bill sets membership, meeting frequency, travel reimbursement and civil liability protections for members. Testifiers noted more complex and potentially costly recommendations from the 2023 work group could follow but that creating the advisory board itself would not require significant spending.
The committee recorded 27 proponents and 0 opponents on the public sign-in sheet and closed the public hearing on the engrossed bill.
