Fire Service Collaboration
Creating a New Regional Fire Service Organization
Exploring a partnership to better serve our communities
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 exploring the creation of 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 have endorsed exploring consolidation to better serve our communities. Potential benefits include:
- Faster response times and better coordination during emergencies.
- Efficient resource management, reducing redundancies in equipment and ensuring that resources are distributed where needed most.
- Economies of scale, reducing overall costs.
- Enhanced ability to adapt to population growth, changing demographics and service demands.
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 by contract and shares a Fire Chief with GFR.
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. Since CPFR is the ‘host agency’, CPFR residents do not vote but will be deeply involved in the process.
If voters approve, all three agencies will immediately start the process of changing the organization’s name to reflect the legacy organizations 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 ballot in 2025. 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 are anticipated to be on the ballot in 2025. A simple majority of OVFR and GFR voters is required to approve their respective unification with CPFR.
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.
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 likely appear on the ballot in 2025. GFR and OVFR voters must approve a merger as the first step in creating the new organization.
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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 name, 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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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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What will it cost?
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CPFR, GRF and OVFR all use the same three revenue tools: regular Fire Levy, EMS Levy and FBC approach. We are currently working to align all tools under the new entity. Our goal is to ensure that the unification will create cost savings and have minimal financial impact on our service areas. More detailed information will be posted in the fall.