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Puget Sound Fire chief describes regional fire authority model for Spokane
Summary
Chief Brian Carson of Puget Sound Fire told Spokane city council members that a regional fire authority (RFA) can combine multiple city and district services, change funding formulas and erase jurisdictional borders — but noted start-up, governance and funding challenges.
Chief Brian Carson, fire chief of Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, told Spokane council members at a public safety meeting that a regional fire authority can combine local fire districts and municipalities to provide fire and emergency services.
"It's a municipal corporation that allows fire districts, municipalities, or tribal nations to join together for the provision of fire and emergency services," Carson said, describing the statutory tool used in Washington and noting three RFAs already exist in King County.
Carson said RFAs are one mechanism among several — they do not prevent mergers, annexations or interlocal agreements — and that Puget Sound Fire grew from the Kent Fire Department into a regional authority after nearby cities and districts joined. He said the…
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