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Snoqualmie Fire Department reports rising call volume, training hours and new community naloxone access
Summary
Chief Bailey presented the fire department's 2024 annual report: 1,715 responses (9% year-over-year increase), about 7,100 combined volunteer and career training hours, continued reliance on mutual aid, volunteer contributions, a new engine being outfitted, and free Narcan distribution planned at the station beginning in July.
Fire Chief Bailey summarized the Snoqualmie Fire Department's 2024 annual report during the council's June 23 meeting, reporting increased call volume, training and volunteer activity and outlining equipment and emergency-management priorities for 2025.
Chief Bailey said the department recorded 1,715 responses in 2024, about a 9% increase from the prior year, and that emergency medical calls make up the bulk of incident types. "A lot of that has to do with how many times we get called out of the city," Bailey said when describing the department's mutual-aid profile.
The report showed the department provided mutual aid on roughly 31% of calls, received aid on about 15% of calls, and handled the remaining 54% within Snoqualmie. Bailey said staffing additions approved by the council in 2024's budget—three career firefighter positions—are intended to reduce overtime and increase in-city coverage.
Training totals were near 7,100 hours for volunteers and career staff combined. Bailey highlighted the regional training consortium that coordinates subject-matter experts across departments in King County and said participation improves specialized skills such as swift-water rescue and hazmat response.
Volunteers contributed nearly 4,000 hours, 281 duty shifts, 530 responses and 255 drill nights in 2024, the chief said, noting the department remains one of the few in the county still using volunteers. Bailey said the department hopes to increase EMS volunteer numbers toward a goal of 20 but expects ongoing turnover.
Bailey announced an opioid-response effort led by department volunteers and described free Narcan availability for the public at the station starting in July. "Starting in July, we're gonna be providing free Narcan available at the station for anybody to walk in and get it," he said.
Bailey also noted a new engine recently received by the city; crews must outfit and train on the apparatus before it enters service, a process he expects to complete by late summer. On emergency-management work, the department completed equipment upgrades to the emergency operations center and plans a full exercise later in the year; the council will be invited to observe or participate.
Councilors asked whether live-burn training could be staged locally; Bailey said staff are exploring regulatory and logistical requirements and would pursue live-burn opportunities if environmental and safety constraints permit. Councilor Cotton confirmed the consortium brings significant regional training capacity into Snoqualmie, and Bailey said any live-burn event would be publicized in advance.
The department's 2024 packet of accomplishments also included accreditation work, a deputy chief hire and strategic-plan completion; 2025 priorities include volunteer recruitment, wildland-response readiness, engine outfitting and emergency-management exercises.
