Published Sunday, February 25, 2024, 1750 hours PST

Multiple fire department partners descended upon the river located at the Cicero Bridge and 300th Street for some specialized water rescue training today. This is their quarterly required training day.

(L) Photo Credit: SCFD21

Members of the Stillaguamish Water Rescue Team include:

SNOHOMISH COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #19

This Fire District is based out of Stanwood, Washington, and has a response area to includes 22 square miles between the Cities of Marysville, Arlington, and Stanwood. They have two fire stations, HQ #94 on Happy Valley Road and volunteer station #95, Island Crossing. They are governed by three publicly elected Fire Commissioners, a staff of 29 volunteer firefighters, and one full-time Fire Chief. They provide 24/7/365 protection with a minimum of two firefighters/EMTs on duty at all times. They respond to well over 680 calls (last update in 2011) per their website.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #21

This Department is located in Arlington and serves the residents surrounding the City of Arlington in a 70 square-mile area, which covers communities such as Trafton, Arlington Heights, Jim Creek, Lake Riley, Cicero, Jordan River Trails, Edgecomb, Sisco Heights, and the northern sections of the Jordan Road, Burn Road, and McElroy Road. It is listed as one of the largest Fire Districts in Snohomish County. They have a population of approximately 8,800 residents with less than 6,000 registered voters. They staff two fire stations one in Arlington Heights and the other on McElroy Road and respond to roughly 1,500 calls annually. They are also first responders for mutual aid calls that may be in neighboring fire districts located in the southern and western regions. They are governed by three Fire commissioners and at the helm of the Fire agency is one Fire Chief along with a daytime Fire Lieutenant and six full-time FF/EMTs.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #22 – Getchel Fire Department

SCFD22 serves the communities of Getchell, Sisco Heights, and Lake Cassidy area in Arlington (Snohomish County), which is about 17 square miles with approximately 5,000 residents the Getchell Fire Department is showing part of this Fire District but is located in Oso. They respond out of one fire station which has two fire engines, two command vehicles, one water tender, two aid cars, and four brush trucks. In 2023, they responded to 1,743 incidents. They are members of the North Snohomish Joint Training Group. Their agency has THEY ARE CURRENTLY HIRING FOR PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS ($5,000 sign-on bonus). Website: https://getchellfire.com/ Career Opportunities: https://getchellfire.com/employment/ The next Training Academy with the North Snohomish County Joint Training Group starts in September of 2024. Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089326898907

DARRINGTON FIRE DISTRICT #24 – SKAGIT COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #24

A new Fire Chief, Chief Johnson formerly a volunteer with Oso Fire Department was sworn in in May of 2023. The FD operates two fire stations which include a response area of about 36 square miles with an estimated population of 3,500 residents and expands when seasons change. This Fire District also has combined areas of the town of Darrington, Sauk-Suiattle Tribe, Snohomish County Fire District 24, and Skagit County (north of Snohomish County) Fire District 24. They responded collectively in the past years over 625 calls, with most of them like their counterparts being EMS-related. They are staffed by 27 volunteer FF/EMTs and (employ) 16 volunteer/PT Paramedics, one part-time Fire Chief, one Career Deputy Chief, and one Training Captain, along with a part-time Captain/MSO, and supported by one Admin. Assistant. They are also governed by five Fire Commissioners. Website: https://www.darringtonfire.org/about

SNOHOMISH COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #25 – OSO FIRE DEPARTMENT

The OSO Fire Department staffs one volunteer Fire Station (Station 37) in a service area of 28 square miles with an estimated population of 1,000 residents, which may increase as seasons change. This includes the SR 530 and Stillaguamish River Valley. The number of calls, this agency has released (in 2017), was 252 incidents.

TRAINING IS EVERYTHING

Though many Fire agencies in King and Snohomish Counties have combined their personnel, apparatus, assets, and finances as approved by these voters to help save money, time, and assets and train as one fire agency – others are still smaller Fire Districts and find they must train together.

The above Fire Districts have all one objective in common and that is to train together as if it is everything for their communities. Today, was one such day when they came together to train, refine their specialized skills, and gain a better understanding of how they can work collectively as one unit.

REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITIES – COMBINING RESOURCES AND ASSETS

We know it must be the will of the people to combine fire agencies into one regional fire authority or as one fire agency, such as North County Fire which is made up of Arlington and Stanwood firefighters. This fire agency is located in Stanwood and they respond collectively to a population of 25,000 residents in a 120 square mile area. They respond to emergencies just like the above Fire Districts to the Stillaguamish River, residential, commercial, industrial manufacturing, rural farms, wildland areas, and the Arlington airport. Additionally, they respond to communities of Bryant, Freeborn, Grandview, Kackman, Kayak Point, Warm Beach, and the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians.

Don’t be confused as to the whos who is in the Fire Service for this post. The main objective of this post is who is training and where, and how they work together to make training everything. We just wanted to touch lightly on how some fire agencies seem to be covering similar areas and how combining their training skills, knowledge and experience can benefit any community located in the Snohomish County area.

(c) 2024 NW Fire Blog / Skagit Valley Media Girl