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Council weighs Westfir station idea; staff outline student‑staffing and modular options
Summary
Council members discussed the potential for a new fire station in Westfir using grant funding, but worried about operating costs. Fire staff described modular units, ODF partnership and a tuition‑assisted student staffing model as lower‑cost approaches to maintain local coverage.
Nicole asked whether Community Development Block Grant or other capital funding could build a station in Westfir, but said operating costs were her primary concern. Scott said capital grants often cover construction but not operations: "Generally, you can't get a FEMA grant for operations other than equipment, training... facilities and things like that, that's not something that they fund."
Scott described partnering with ODF to place a modular unit and a student staffing model (tuition assistance and students on duty during assigned shifts) to provide coverage without full‑time staffing expenditures. He said such programs have worked elsewhere: "We had students in that... we always had, at least 2 students on duty and it worked out very well." Councilmembers asked for more detail on operating scenarios, and staff agreed to continue planning with neighboring agencies and potential grant sources.
