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Olympia fire department rolls out plans for new station

Assistant fire chief to discuss project at council meeting

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published April 14, 2009

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OLYMPIA – The Olympia Fire Department has released new drawings for its newest fire station — the city's fourth — and a new training center.

Assistant Fire Chief Greg Wright is expected to discuss the progress of the projects at tonight's Olympia City Council meeting. Voters approved a $16.5 million tax measure last fall for the new facilities and new fire apparatus.

The fire station is to be built at the corner of Lilly and Stoll roads in Olympia by early 2011 and serve northeast Olympia. A three-person truck company and a medical unit will be stationed in the facility, Wright said.

The northeast area is home to Providence St. Peter Hospital, busy Martin Way and Lilly Road, and the neighborhoods of Mapleview, Springfield, Springwood and Woodard Glen.

"There's a heavy number of medical calls," Wright said.

Fire officials said the area has been underserved, requiring long trips from the city's three existing stations to respond to runs.

"We've documented the need and the citizens have responded by passing the bond," Wright said.

Out of 8,456 runs the department made in 2008, 1,808 of them came from the northeast area. Response times have been as much as 12 minutes, City Manager Steve Hall has said. The goal of the new station is to get those response times down to the national standard — six minutes.

Meanwhile, the training center is planned to be built off of Fones Road next to The Home Depot by mid-2011. The major feature of the center is a tower that firefighters can ignite to simulate structure fires. The facility will be expandable.

Olympia has been talking with Lacey Fire District 3 about partnering on the facility.

Olympia hasn't added a fire station in more than 40 years. The department had one staffed fire station downtown until it staffed its west-side station off Harrison Avenue in 1968. The following year, it bought a third station off Boulevard Road.

And that's the configuration that remains today, though the stations are in new buildings. Voters approved updated facilities for all three stations in the 1990s.

"I think this is a good-news story," Hall said. Not only will response times improve, but the construction projects will give local crews a chance to bid on building the project.

"I'm looking forward to it," Hall said.

Matt Batcheldor covers the city of Olympia for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-704-6869 or mbatcheldor@theolympian.com.