YAKIMA, Wash.- The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 469 is facing possible budget cuts from the 2025-26 budget as requested by the City Manager, Bob Harrison.
On May 23, Fire Chief Aaron Markham will tell the Yakima City Council that a 10% budget cut would eliminate an entire station and put 12 firefighters out of a job. Station 92 on Tieton Drive and the layoffs would be required to meet the requested budget cut.
Closing the station would require two engines (93 on 40th Avenue and 94 at the airport) to cover all of Yakima west of 40th Avenue. The workload will also increase for crews on top of 65% overlapping calls.
The layoffs would put the Yakima Fire Department at roughly half the National Fire Protection Association recommended 1.5 firefighters per 1000 residents.
The IAFF Executive Board says with the growth of the city, a 10% cut makes the department smaller than it was 20 years ago.
Chief Markham and the YFD will present their case to the Yakima City Council on May 23 from the Harman Center. IAFF Local 469 is asking the community to join the meeting at 4 p.m. to share concerns.
