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Mount Rainier officials press for restoration of career firefighters and seek FEMA grant for volunteer unit
Summary
Mayor Benitez and the Mount Rainier council discussed efforts to restore career firefighter staffing, ongoing talks with county and volunteer chiefs, and a pending FEMA grant application requesting $80,000 to buy a pickup truck for the volunteer fire department.
Mayor Benitez and the Mount Rainier City Council spent the bulk of their Dec. 4 meeting updating residents on efforts to restore career firefighter coverage and to support the volunteer department.
The mayor said the council has repeatedly asked the city manager and county leaders to return career firefighters to the Bunker Hill station and to explore ways the city can help during the staffing shortage. "We want the fire careers back," the mayor said, describing months of meetings with county officials and volunteer leaders.
City Manager Kamali told the council staff have been meeting with Chief Jason Fisher, the Mount Rainier volunteer fire chief, and with the county career chief to identify immediate and longer‑term options. "We applied for [a grant] in August and were denied," Kamali said. "We have an application pending with FEMA ... we're asking for $80,000" to purchase a pickup truck the volunteers could use.
Councilmembers and staff described multiple recruitment classes underway and said a partial return of career staff is expected early next year. Danielle Carter, a former volunteer, urged continued advocacy and community engagement; she said the situation had been "looking pretty bleak" in October but that recent outreach had helped.
During public comment, resident Valerie Zelensky urged faster action and said her block has experienced several serious fires. "Low taxes are great, but not at the expense of the people that are living here and at our fire and EMS," she said, adding that she has researched calls, testified to the county council and volunteered at a neighboring station.
Mayor Benitez and staff emphasized that Bunker Hill is a county facility and that equipment is county‑owned; they said Mount Rainier has been coordinating with the county and neighboring municipalities and will continue applying for grants and submitting budget requests to support the volunteer unit.
The council approved a short extension to continue the fire update, and members said they will keep pressing county leaders and pursuing grant opportunities until staffing and equipment needs are met.
The city manager said he will keep the council and public updated on the FEMA application and on any budget or recruitment developments.
