Fire districts to explore amalgamation

North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) and Whatcom County Fire District 4 are considering the creation of a regional fire authority encompassing both jurisdictions, if ultimately approved by voters.

A planning committee of three fire commissioners from each agency will meet virtually at 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 18 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23 to discuss the option of a regional fire authority and the implications arising from that move.

The goal is to propose a plan for a regional fire authority by April. The plan will include the proposed governance, design, financing and development of fire protection and emergency service facilities and operations to elected leadership of NWFR and the fire district, according to NWFR’s website.

Together, NWFR and the fire district 4 have fire stations spanning from Semiahmoo to Agate Bay on the north side of Lake Whatcom.

A regional fire authority is a “special purpose district established by voters in a service area that provides funding for fire and emergency medical service,” according to the NWFR.

The planning committee will propose its plan to the board of commissioners of both NWFR and fire district 4. If the commissioners approve the plan, they would then have an election on the proposal. All voters in the two fire district service areas would vote on the proposition.

If voters approve a regional fire authority, it will enable full consolidation of the two separate fire agencies and provide opportunities for efficiencies in delivery of fire and emergency services, sustaining current service levels and response times.

Both agencies have already been operationally merged by contract for 10 years.

A regional fire authority would eliminate the agencies’ separate levies and replace them with a single levy, approved by voters. The same rate would be paid throughout the entire fire authority.

There are currently 13 regional fire authorities in Washington, including South Whatcom Fire Authority. The city of Blaine is the largest city in the NWFR district and continues to see population growth, according to NWFR’s website.

The meetings are to encourage community members’ input into the process. The planning committee will answer questions and take comments. For the Zoom links to both meetings and more information, visit the NWFR website at bit.ly/3jGZ428.