Fire Service Collaboration
Creating a New Regional Fire Service Organization
Proposition 1: Merger Into Central Pierce Fire & Rescue
Pierce County fire districts have a long, successful history of working together to better serve our communities. At the direction of the three Boards of Fire Commissioners, Central Pierce Fire & Rescue (CPFR), Graham Fire & Rescue (GFR) and Orting Valley Fire & Rescue (OVFR), are asking voters to create a new regional fire service organization through an equal collaboration legally known as merger.
This decision follows extensive collaboration focused on improving efficiency, reducing costs and improving service quality. The conclusion: our communities could be better served as one unified organization.
Your Fire Districts: Better Together
The Boards of CPFR, GFR and OVFR are asking voters to create a new regional fire service organization to better serve our communities. Consolidation is expected to provide:
- Improved response times and coordination during emergencies.
- More flexibility to allocate resources based on real-time needs, allowing for better service in all areas of the district.
- Streamlined resources to minimize duplication and provide cost savings.
- Strengthened ability to adapt to future growth and service needs.
Combining Forces
The Board’s vision is for CPFR, GFR and OVFR to establish one legal entity. Achieving this takes time, involves specific legal procedures, requires transparency and includes public involvement.
CPFR, GFR and OVFR have shared borders for decades and have a long history of responding to emergencies in another district’s territory.
CPFR is the largest district in terms of population, staffing and number of fire stations. CPFR currently provides emergency services to OVFR and GFR by contract.
Combining the three fire districts would form the second largest fire district in Washington State:
- 328,000 community members served
- 178 square miles protected
- 490 first responders (and growing)
- 48 staffed emergency response vehicles
- 20 staffed fire stations
The communities served by the three fire districts are experiencing a lot of growth — with a 18% increase in population since 2010 and another 12% increase projected by 2033. Additionally, the three fire districts have experienced a 22% increase in call volume over the past six years.
While the proposed merger creates a larger fire district, combining the fire districts allows us to maximize existing resources to serve the community better:
- The same firefighters responding from your neighborhood fire station.
- Faster response when seconds matter most.
- More robust community outreach and education programs.
After consulting with other fire agencies in the Pacific Northwest and conducting a joint board workshop with legal counsel to discuss options, the Commissioners from all three districts determined that unifying our resources and operations is the best step towards creating a new, more effective organization.
Uniting GFR and OVFR with CPFR is the most straightforward and cost-effective approach. The process requires a vote from GFR and OVFR residents, so Proposition 1 is on the April 2025 election. Since CPFR is the ‘host agency’, CPFR residents do not vote but will be deeply involved in the process.
If approved, the new agency will start the process of creating an identity that honors the legacy of each organization and their communities. Public involvement will be integral to the renaming and rebranding efforts.
The three agencies began the legal process necessary to place a merger measure on the April 22, 2025 ballot. These steps include:
- Issuing SEPA Threshold Determinations of Non-Significance.
- Filing a Notice of Intent with the Pierce County Boundary Review Board.
- Adopting resolutions to place the measure on the ballot.
Voters will ultimately decide. The measures will be on the ballot on April 22, 2025. A simple majority of OVFR and GFR voters is required to approve their respective unification with CPFR.
How To Vote
- Register to vote or track your ballot at VoteWA.gov
- For election information, visit piercecountywa.gov/328/Elections
- Pierce County Drop Box Locations
Collaboration is Underway Now
By combining resources and coordinating efforts, the three fire districts can create more efficient and effective emergency responses. Unifying as a new organization aims to enhance our ability to respond promptly, optimize resource allocation and provide a higher level of service to our communities.
Collaboration isn’t new. The three fire districts are already successfully engaging in coordinated efforts to enhance operations with shared programs including:
- Leadership Team & Fire Chief
- Regional firefighter training
- IT services
- Communications, outreach, and education
- Battalion Chief (i.e., Battalion 91)
- Community assistance, referrals, and education service (CARES) program
- Closest available forces response
- Resources through contracts
These current shared programs confirm that our fire districts can provide better service delivery and be more efficient when we work together.
One Fire Chief, One Mission
Fire Chief Dustin Morrow will lead the three organizations through the unification process. The agencies agreed to this approach to ensure a smooth and cohesive transition.
Having one Fire Chief provides a unique opportunity to move forward with a single mission: working together to better serve you.
Join Us at Our Upcoming Events!
Station 96 Open House – Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 11:00AM to 1:00PM
Station 40 Open House – Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 11:00AM to 1:00PM
To view our full calendar click here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Why combine three fire districts into one organization?
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The three Boards believe a united organization will enhance efficiency, improve service delivery and ensure cost-effective emergency response capabilities. By combining resources, we aim to provide better coverage, response times and training and professional development opportunities for our firefighters.
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Will voters decide?
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Yes. The measures will appear on the April 22, 2025 ballot. GFR and OVFR voters must approve a merger as the first step in creating the new organization.
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Why do only Graham and Orting Valley community members vote on the merger?
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All three Boards of Fire Commissioners from Graham Fire & Rescue (GFR) and Orting Valley Fire & Rescue (OVFR) unanimously placed consolidation on the ballot believing one unified district will best serve all three communities.
State law (RCW 52.06.030) requires voters from the dissolved districts to approve the merger. Therefore, GFR and OVFR voters decide on the dissolution of their districts to form a single, consolidated fire district with CPFR. The existing CPFR district doesn’t vote since GFR and OVFR are merging into it.
We encourage everyone to stay engaged as we work toward a stronger, more unified fire service. All community members will also help shape the new organization’s identity, including rebranding efforts that honor the legacy of the original districts.
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Will there be a new name for the new organization?
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If approved by voters, the fire districts have agreed to jointly create a new brand and organizational identity for the combined fire district.
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What happens to our firefighters?
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If the measures are approved, the same great women and men who serve today will remain in the same capacity. No firefighters or administrative personnel will lose their jobs or experience a reduction in pay or benefits.
Creating this new organization can also provide our firefighters with more opportunities for professional development, training and specialized assignments, such as serving on special operations teams, including water rescue team, technical rescue team, wildland strike team, etc.
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Will my local fire station be closed?
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No fire stations will be closed under a unified agency.
All CPFR, GFR and OVFR fire stations are strategically located to provide the most effective emergency response to the communities they serve. In fact, as the population in our district grows, there may be a need to add additional resources in our service area.
Joint planning for additional staffed stations is ongoing for areas like Kapowsin, Crocker and North Puyallup/Shaw Road.
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Will consolidation improve response times?
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Yes, consolidation is expected to improve response times across the combined fire district. By joining resources, the fire districts will be better positioned to respond more effectively to emergencies. Consolidation allows for more strategic placement of emergency vehicles and personnel, minimizing gaps in service coverage.
Our community has already seen this in action. As shown in the maps below, in 2023, the average response time across the combined district was above 8 minutes. In 2024, as the fire districts began working together to respond to emergencies more effectively, the average response time dropped to 7 minutes – meaning first responders were arriving to emergencies 4.9% faster when working together.
This can be attributed to softening jurisdictional boundaries and utilizing a closest unit response model. Closest unit response involves leveraging GPS technology to identify the closest emergency response vehicle to the emergency and dispatching it regardless of fire district boundaries or station response area.
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Why consolidate if contracts or interlocal agreements already exist?
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While these contracts and agreements allow for the sharing of some resources between CPFR, GFR and OVFR, they do not capture the full range of efficiencies a united organization can provide. Consolidating will help provide capacity to increase service, reduce duplication and maintain or lower costs.
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How are the three fire districts currently funded, and how would consolidation impact funding?
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CPFR, GFR and OVFR are primarily funded through three voter-approved revenue sources:
- Regular Fire Levy – A property tax for fire protection services.
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy – A property tax supporting emergency medical services.
- Fire Benefit Charge (FBC) – A fee based on property size, use, and risk factors that funds fire protection services.
Currently, each district uses a unique formula to calculate the FBC based on local needs and priorities. If voters approve a merger, the Board of Fire Commissioners will determine how to equitably standardize the formulas across the new district.
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Will consolidation result in higher costs for property owners?
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Consolidation will not include new funding requests, such as levy increases or bonds, and the Fire and EMS levy rates will stay the same. Unlike when a city fire department annexes into a fire district, there will be no overlapping taxes for property owners.
The only potential change could come from standardizing the FBC across the three districts. Any adjustments to the FBC rates are expected to align with typical annual changes that residents already experience.
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What if I have additional questions?
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Please click here to submit additional questions or comments.