Kirkland marks completion of 2020 Proposition 1: new and renovated fire stations, safety upgrades finished

Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford said the city has finished the projects funded by Proposition 1, the voter‑approved 2020 measure that paid for new and upgraded fire stations and firefighter safety equipment.

"Prop 1 was approved by voters in November 2020. And here we are in almost November 2025, just five years later. And we have, we've completed it," said Jim Lopez, the podcast host, introducing the topic on the City of Kirkland’s Oct. 30 podcast. Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford discussed the work in greater detail on the show.

Why it matters: Chief Sanford said faster response times and improved station design directly affect survival in medical and fire incidents. "Flashover is when a room becomes uninhabitable," Sanford said. He explained that modern synthetic furnishings reduce the time to flashover from about 30 minutes (decades ago) to roughly four minutes today, increasing the need for rapid response and modern station siting.

What was completed: Sanford and hosts listed projects completed under or as a result of the Prop 1 program. Completed work includes a new Station 27 (relocated east of Interstate 405 to provide redundancy if the freeway becomes impassable), renovations to Stations 21, 22 and 26, and additional station work citywide. Outside Prop 1 funding, the department also rehabilitated Station 25 and built Station 24, according to the podcast discussion.

Safety and occupational health upgrades: Sanford described station‑level systems intended to reduce firefighter exposure to toxins and diesel exhaust. Those include ceiling‑mounted exhaust extraction rails that engage at apparatus start‑up and vent diesel fumes outside; negative‑pressure rooms for storing contaminated bunker gear; in‑station extractor machines to clean gear; and a second set of bunker gear so crews do not have to reuse contaminated gear immediately. "We have another set that's ready to go," Sanford said of the two sets of protective gear.

Staffing and response impacts: The program included hiring 20 additional firefighters, Sanford said. That increase allowed the department to staff dedicated aid units at Totem Lake and Houghton stations so an engine crew does not have to leave the station entirely when an aid unit responds. Sanford described typical staffing as three personnel per engine and five when an engine and a dedicated aid unit are both staffed; the change reduces out‑of‑service periods and aims to shorten response times for subsequent calls.

Firefighter health concerns: Sanford said cancer is now a leading cause of death among on‑duty firefighters and tied that trend to toxic exposures. He noted a higher rate of toxin absorption through skin at elevated temperatures and recounted how older practices—keeping wet or contaminated gear in living quarters for quick response—likely increased exposure for firefighters in earlier eras.

Seismic and structural work: The podcast also described structural and seismic upgrades at older stations, replacing unreinforced masonry and narrow bearing supports with reinforced anchors and wide secure connections to improve station survivability in an earthquake.

Community access and next steps: New and renovated stations are open for tours when crews are available, Sanford said, and the department will continue to focus on equipment maintenance and staffing to preserve response capacity. Kirkland responds to just under 10,000 calls a year, Sanford noted.

What the city did not say: The podcast did not include a line‑item budget or the exact per‑station cost breakdown for each project; budget details and construction costs were not specified on the episode and would be found in city budget and capital‑improvement documents.

Sources and attribution: The account above is based on the Oct. 30, 2025 episode of the City of Kirkland podcast "This Week in Kirkland," in which Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford described station projects and safety upgrades. Direct quotations are from Sanford and the episode hosts as aired.