ZILLAH, Wash.- Yakima County Fire District 5 has approved a resolution to place a bond on the November 7 General Election ballot to fund equipment and facility upgrades.
The upgrades have proven necessary for the district as YCFD 5’s Fire Chief Ken Shipman says the upgrades will help address a 22% increase in call volume since 2016.
“The need has just risen dramatically for us to have more firefighters available,” said Chief Shipman.
Aging equipment and facilities haven’t helped the department respond to calls in the largest fire district in Washington, measuring over 700 square miles.
YCFD 5’s headquarters in Zillah is one of three stations that would be renovated with the bond, including stations in Parker and Harrah.
“We’re standing here at a fire station that was dedicated in 1955.” said Chief Shipman of the Zillah headquarters. “Typically, fire stations have life expectancy of about 40-50 years and now we’re into 70 years for many of these fire stations.”
Along with the stations, equipment including fire trucks are at or nearing the end of their service, leaving the district in need of replacements.
“We’re trying to do a lot of catch up,” said Chief Shipman. “A lot of modernization to provide our firefighters with the safety and the enhancements they need and deserve.”
Enhancements will include necessary features in the stations. Station 10 in Zillah lacks a training room for crew to gather, and many stations are without proper decontamination equipment to clean firefighters after shifts.
The district projects a future fire levy lid lift to hire additional firefighters, as the volunteer heavy crew lost 40 crew members over two years.
If approved by voters, the bond will cost the owner of a $300,000 home $7 a month or $84 a year; a total calculated by the proposed bond of $0.28 per $1,000 assessed property value.
