BOTHELL—South County Fire broke ground Tuesday, August 25, on a new fire station along North Road. The facility, designed to improve emergency response and firefighter safety, will replace Hilltop Fire Station 22. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2027.
“This station will provide modern, earthquake-resistant, code-compliant working and living facilities for our firefighters,” said Jim Kenny, chair of the South County Fire Board of Commissioners. “This is only possible thanks to the support of our community. We will continue working to provide the very best emergency services available.”
An independent 2016 assessment rated Station 22 in poor condition and in need of replacement. Engineers determined the current facility, originally built to be a volunteer fire station, may not be operational following a major earthquake. In addition, the apparatus bay is too small to meet current codes for clearance around vehicles; and the building’s plumbing and HVAC systems need an overhaul.
Due to a lack of space, firefighter turnout gear and workout equipment at Station 22 must be housed in the apparatus bay, causing potential exposure to diesel exhaust – a known carcinogen. The original assessment also recommended reconsideration of the station’s location. The facility will be relocated to 18717 North Rd., about a mile from the current location at 20510 Damson Rd.
“With the new fire station, we’ve really tried to focus on those details that will help us be most responsive to the community’s needs,” said Fire Chief Shaughn Maxwell. “That includes a location more accessible to major roads, bedrooms on the first floor, and room for accommodating additional firefighters to meet increasing demand.”
Station 22 currently houses three firefighters daily. The new facility will accommodate up to six firefighters.
Funding for the Station 22 replacement is included in a bond measure on the November 3 ballot. The measure would replace a total of six aging fire stations, repair and seismically upgrade four stations, and build four additional stations to meet higher demands for services. The bond would also upgrade other essential facilities that directly support emergency response and readiness.
Because of the dire condition of Station 22, commissioners decided to move forward with rebuilding it, using reserve funds normally saved for building maintenance like roof repairs or driveway repaving. Those funds would be reimbursed by the bond measure.
“There are a lot of needs and we do not want to put this work off any longer,” Kenny said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure we’re there when this community needs us.”
If approved, the bond is estimated to cost about $11.32 per month for a home valued at $700,000, considered average for South County Fire’s service area — a rate of approximately $0.194 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Residents can see a full list of planned improvements and use a calculator to determine estimated property costs at www.southsnofire.org/bond.
Source: South County Fire
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
