Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Presented by the Lynden Tribune & Ferndale Record
WCFD No. 1 provides top-tier service for community
Service-minded, community-oriented
By Racquel Muncy For the Tribune
Whatcom County Fire District 1 looks to give the Everson, Nooksack, Deming and Nooksack Tribe communities the best possible service for their tax dollars.
Many of the members of the department are part of the community or grew up nearby.
Assistant Fire Chief Greg Macy grew up in the Nooksack Valley and hardly left.
“This is my hometown,” he said. “It’s a great community.”
Macy said when he first started the fire station was completely volunteer and over his 22-year tenure he has seen it grow to now have several paid, full-time positions.
The next phase he hopes to see is a new fire station that can better serve the community.
District 1 looks to grow with the community by seeking grants, continually training and providing education opportunities and by going out for a new bond.
Grants
To stretch tax dollars as far as possible District 1 has gone out for a variety of grants for staffing needs, equipment and training, according to Fire Chief Rachel Carlson
Thus far in 2024 the district has brought in about $834,000, including a $704,485 grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s SAFER Recruitment and Retention grant program.
The grant provides funding for training, marketing and supplies, initial and annual physicals, structural firefighting gear and a retention and recruitment specialist for four years.
The district helps to train many upand-coming firefighters, but many are career minded, making retention difficult as there are not career positions available within the department.
Carlson said many trainees will stick around part-time or volunteer to get the experience needed and apply for wherever a career position is available.
Carlson said the district administrative team had minimal experience writing grant applications before, but with their combined knowledge, skills and teamwork they have proven to be successful.
Lieutenant and EMT Sheena Radder said the grants are incredibly time consuming, but an important effort to make.
“When we get a grant it’s a big deal to us,” she said. “We’re bringing in the money to bring the highest level of service to the community.”
Carlson agreed.
“We are very proud of that effort,” she said.
Another large grant the district has its eyes on would pay for five additional fulltime firefighters for three years.
Fire District Association Vice President and part-time firefighter Jack Wilson said full-time firefighting is what he would love to do, and he has already applied for the
position should it become available.
Training and education
District 1 puts an effort into making sure everyone in the department has every opportunity to get fully trained and continue their education, creating the best fire service professionals for their community.
“We’re really allowing them to grow within their career,” Radder said. “Their impact to the community they’re in is astronomical.”
The opportunities could be anything from leadership training and new topics to the Monday night training where those in attendance will dive into a topic and practice skills, so they are always fresh.
Macy said the Monday night training is also a good way to get the crew comfortable with each other. He said the crew also trains every shift on a different topic. Sometimes this may look like a roundtable discussion, other times it may be running through a scenario.
“It’s a good way to build crew integrity,” he said. “We have a bunch of new faces coming through the door.”
New recruits Kolby Wynne and Jeremy David said they saw the value in the trainings.
“It’s super valuable, especially for someone who is just getting into the fire service,” Wynne said.
David said he lives near the Nugents
Whatcom County Fire District No. 1 looks to give the Everson, Nooksack, Deming and Nooksack Tribe communities the best possible service for their tax dollars. District 1 looks to grow with the community by looking for grants, by continually training and by providing education opportunities and by going out for a new bond.
(Photos on both pages by Racquel Muncy for the Tribune)
Corner station and had no idea the amount of training and resources that occurred.
“You have all of this education five minutes away,” he said.
During a recent Monday night training Carlson spoke to the new recruits about some of the training opportunities to look out for. She said some will even have college credits that come along with it, all at the department expense.
“There’s so much out there,” she said. “We support you getting all the training you can … let the district pay for some college courses and it looks good on your resume.”
Carlson said she loves seeing her crew grow in their role as a fire safety professional.
“Nothing makes me prouder than watching them earn their promotions, start or finish their education, overcome challenges, earn certificates or attend valuable training,” Carlson said.
Bond
Increased call volumes and increased population growth has led to a need to grow the department along with the community, so the district has put a bond before the voters.
Fire District 1 went out to voters with a $13 million bond in the August election and received a 50% approval rate, but unfortunately that wasn’t enough, as bonds require a supermajority of 60% approval.
“We were so close this last time around,” Wilson said.
The district is trying again during the November general election.
The bond is for a new fire station within Everson city limits on land the district already owns.
Station 81 in Everson is an older building that does not have any living quarters.
Carlson said the work needed to get the building up to current building code, seismic compliance was not worth the cost, and it desper-
ately needs to be relocated out of the floodplain. In 2009 just to bring the building up to seismic compliance was $1.1 million, according to Carlson.
That would be about $1.6 million today.
According to Carlson Station 81 is not regularly staffed and serves more as an office space and storage for vehicles.
Staff is often coming from Station 82 in Nugents Corner, which is 10 to 12 minutes away from the Everson/Nooksack area where the majority of calls are coming from.
“We can’t afford that 10 to 12 minutes,” Carlson said.
Volunteer firefighter Tony Kelley made the point that in an emergency every minute counts.
According to Kelley the risk of brain damage goes up by 10% for each minute CPR is not given during a cardiac event.
The new fire station, which would be on Everson-Goshen Road near the Everson Auction Market, would help lessen risks.
“Having that (station) manned will really help those response times,” he said.
Carlson said this location was chosen strategically as it is near many new housing developments.
“This allows us to stay ahead of the growth,” she said.
It also allows two stations to be staffed, which will help alleviate the increasing number of overlapping calls.
According to Carlson calls have increased from about 900 calls in 2019 to about 1200 calls this year thus far. She attributes much of the increase to the population growth.
“Everson and Nooksack is really taking off,” she said.
While the growth has led to a busier fire department, Carlson pointed out that the growth also means more of a shared tax burden when asking voters to pass the bond.
“Growth is great for those kinds of things,” she said.
LYNDEN FIRE DEPT.
LYNDEN FIRE DEPT.
FIRE DISTRICT
FIRE DISTRICT 1
GLACIER FIRE DEPT.
JOSH
FIRE DISTRICT 7 Ferndale
JEFF
CHARLIE
MICHAEL
FIRE DISTRICT 7 Ferndale
FIRE DISTRICT 7 Ferndale
FIRE DISTRICT 7 Ferndale
NOT PICTURED VOLUNTEERS
NOT PICTURED CADETS
NOT PICTURED SUPPORT DIVISION
FIRE DISTRICT 11 Lummi Island
FIRE DISTRICT 14 Welcome
FIRE DISTRICT 14 Kendall
JONATHAN
FRANK CAIN JR.
HEATHER
MONICA LUNA RAMOS
FIRE DISTRICT 14 Kendall
FIRE DISTRICT 14 Sumas
FIRE DISTRICT 16
NOT PICTURED:
STEPHANIE BASS
ROBERT FOX
JANA MIESUK
ERICA COOK
BRAD FALCETTI
W h e n e v e r y
s e c o n d c o u n t s
W h e n y o u shoul d u s e 9 1 1
All f ire emergencies.
When you need any type of law enforcement assistance. When you or someone else needs immediate medical aid.
W h e n y o u shoul d n ot u s e 9 1 1
For routine business calls or inquir ies about Fire, Medical or Law Enforcement matters.
When you have non-emergency business suc h as:
Billing infor mation for ambulance ser vice t hat you have received.
How to obtain burning per mits
For general inquir ies or follow -up infor mation regarding law enforcement matters t hat have already been repor ted.
Ho w do I u s e 9 1 1?
Remain calm. Dial 9-1-1.
Give t he dispatc her t he following infor mation: What is t he emergency?
Where is t he emergency? Also, if possible, t he closest street intersection.
The Fire District you are located in, if it is a fire or medical emergency
Your Name and Address!
The Phone Number from whic h you are calling.
FIRE DISTRICT 17 Sandy Point
MARCIA
FIRE DISTRICT 21 North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
FIRE DISTRICT 21
FIRE DISTRICT 21
FIRE DISTRICT 21 North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
LEE LIGHTFOOT Tender Support
TANNER JANSEN Tender Support
JULIE SMITS Tender Support
DALTON KING Tender Support
MICHAEL WELCH Tender Support
DAVID BRUNNEMER Tender Support
OCTOBER is MONTH
It’s very important that you take precautions when it comes to fire. Always practice these safety tips: Never play with matches or lighters
Do not handle gasoline or other liquids that burn Be careful around stoves, heaters and open fires
Do not cook unless an adult is present
If smoke is around, stay low to the ground
REMEMBER, if something catches fire, get help. Call 9-1-1. Kids and adults should work together to form an emergency plan, including an escape route. Don’t forget to practice the plan.
TEAR OUT THIS SECTION FOR FUN FIRE SAFETY A CTIVITIES!
FIRE PREVENTION
STOP DROP
ROLL
where you are. DROP to the ground. ROLL over and over until the flames are out, covering your face with your hands
Did you know that a wildfire is any fire that starts outside in grass, brush, shrubs or forests? By checking off everything on this list , you will be helping to protect animals, trees, plants and your home!
I rake dead leaves, sticks and pine needles off my lawn.
I make mulch piles to protect our garden, and keep weeds away. (Make sure to keep mulch away from your house. This will help to prevent fire from spreading to the home.)
My garden has Firewise flowers and plants in it. (These are plants and flowers that help keep fire away from homes because they hold more water and grow lower to the ground so flames don't touch them.)
I remove leaves and twigs from under the deck.
I sweep the deck or porch to get rid of pine needles and leaves.
I make sure to give plants and shrubs plenty of water.
I carry all the leaves, sticks, pine needles and everything else I collected, to the curb for trash pick up. (Have a grown-up help you with this, it can be heavy.)
