By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The Onalaska Fire Department wants members of the public to be able to ask questions about a new main fire station in the works on state Route 508 near Alexander Road.
The property across from Brenda’s Country Market has already been purchased, newly installed Fire Chief Andrew Martin said.
A special business meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, at the current main station, at 244 Carlisle Avenue, according to Martin.
“We’ll have the architect here and they can ask questions of him and the board,” Martin said.
The department serves more than 3,100 residents over an 82-square mile area in Lewis County Fire District 1.
The building on Carlisle Avenue is about 70 years old and has been through a fire, and when they looked at putting a new roof on, it appeared they would have to spend some $90,000, Martin said.
The department will be giving a presentation also on Tuesday at the Onalaska Alliance’s meeting, Martin said. But the board may take action at Thursday’s meeting, he said.
Martin, a volunteer chief who took over on Jan. 1, said the department has 24 volunteers, six of whom are also EMTs. Five more are currently in training to become EMTs, he said.
The district has a measure on the Feb. 10 ballot to continue its same EMS levy to support the program, he said.
Property owners have been paying 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for the past six years, and commissioners would like voters to agree to another six years at the same rate, according to Martin.
Money from the EMS levy covers supplies for three ambulances and purchased the third ambulance they placed at Station 1-3 at 3030 State Route 508 to ensure faster response time for occupants on the other side of the bridge, according to Martin. The levy also ensures that the residents who are critically ill receive advance life support care, he said.
Also on the ballot, Lewis County Fire District 2 in Toledo is asking voters to continue an EMS levy that would collect up to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for property owners.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
A lot of you are worried about having a larger building for sleeping quarters and a community center part. I understand your pain, but have you looked at the larger picture? I doubt it. If in the future we have an earthquake or another eruption from a mountain where do you think people will be going? We flood out here and where do we go? I love this small town and am raising my kids here. With that being said a new fire station is not going to hurt the small town charm. People, it is time to think about our future. This fire department does so much more then any of us know. We need to support them. We are the last town around here with a building as old as ours. A little updating of this town will not hurt. Keep this fire department the way it is now and then complain later when you need them the most. Not good thinking. I know most of the Veterans here support modernizing the fire department because we know what it’s like to have old equipment. We vote yes to updating service.
I am voting for it. OFD has done a good job responding to emergencies, and we need to give them the support they need. Their old building is pretty dilapidated. Just wonder why not rebuild there, instead of buy another piece of property. Anyway, I am voting for it, and encourage others to also.
YeahRight. . . I think you have some miss information about the project. The proposed new station is not much bigger than the current one. I have yet to hear of sleeper berths or even a room for sleeper berths being placed in the hall. I do know they are making the training room larger since it’s hard to place 20+ people into a 20x15ish room.
I would be interested to know how they can create a station for half the proposed cost an follow all the laws when building this. I’ve heard of several other departments putting up stations locally and this one’s cost is in the same ball park as everyone elses.
I’m going to go to this meeting and see what’s going on and what the plans are so I know them first hand from the board and architect.
Yeahright…you seem to have a lot of insight about the new proposed station. Are you involved in the project?
So now there’s going to be a “community center” too? What is the proposed cost for this new facility since you say that it could stay the same size for half the cost with the call volume they have?
Just curious…I’d like to know what my tax dollars are going for!
A volunteer only station doesn’t need a “Community Center” or sleeping berths. Onalaska doesn’t have the call volume to support much more than the size they currently are and could make it on half the cost of this station proposal.
They would still be providing the same level of service and could do it out of a similar sized to their current building. Onalaska s should focus on more money into their schools (Some of the worst in the state)
@whyhere…maybe you should move to the big updated fancy city in the event you ever need fire or ambulance service. I believe the article says the building is over 70 years old. I sure wouldn’t want to wait for emergency services to respond from Chehalis if I were experiencing an emergency. Just my opinion…
I wish they all would just leave this town the way it is…. We do not want new up dated town like here.. The little old town is just fine the way it is.. If people want up date’s and all the stuff that comes with it move to the city.. Leave this town the way it is.. NOT NEEDED.
Yes, a fire station that will house apparatus, store and maintain equipment, keep public documents safe, and provide an area for training. Just like a career department. Because volunteers are expected to perform just like careers… FOR FREE.
What is the difference between a Fire Station for Career guys and a Station for Volunteer staff “Yeahright”?
They want to build a career level Fire Department that will only be staffed by volunteers. This isn’t the field of dreams…