Everett hires Dark Horse for data-driven fire 'standard of cover'; final report due early 2026

Everett officials received a midproject update on Nov. 5, 2025, on a city-funded “standard of cover” and community risk assessment that will map the Everett Fire Department’s service performance and recommend deployment and response targets, a consultant said.

Chief Dave DeMarco, Everett fire chief, told the Community Health and Safety Council Committee that city council allocated funds this year for a standard-of-cover development process. “Standard of cover is, essentially a snapshot of the fire department’s performance,” DeMarco said, describing the study as a tool for measuring performance against adopted standards and for answering questions about how future development would affect emergency response.

Madison, a representative of Dark Horse Emergency, the Canadian public-safety software and consulting firm…