Future of Fire/EMS Community Advisory Committee

Community Advisory Committee

Over the last 15 years, the Puget Sound Region has seen increasing regionalization of fire and EMS service, with numerous service providers securing voter approval to merge their operations into larger combined agencies or contracting for fire/EMS services from other agencies. The primary motivations have been a desire to capture potential economies of scale, an ability to offer additional services through cost-sharing and responding to budget pressures.   The City has been exploring options for regionalization of fire service in the past several years.    The Committee is asked to provide findings and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on the following items:

1. Sustainability of the Fire Department service levels within existing City revenues.
2. Any additional Fire Department programs and staffing services that should be priorities to fund in the near-term (0-6 years).
3. Criteria for evaluating the City’s options for future fire/EMS service delivery.
4. Recommendation as to the preferred option or options for ensuring future provision of high-quality fire/EMS service in the City at a sustainable cost.
5. Public engagement strategies for the City to consider as part of deliberations following delivery of the Advisory Committee’s report

The Advisory Committee is requested to present a final report outlining its findings and recommendations to the Mayor and Council by the end of April 2022

More information about this work can be found in the Committee Charter. 

Committee Agenda Packets & Meeting Minutes