AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — The Airway Heights Fire Department is looking to make an upgrade to its station and fire chief Mitch Metzger said it's going to take more than a new coat of paint.
After over 50 years, he said it's time for a new building.
"It is literally a maintenance nightmare,” Metzger said.
This station has served the department since 1968. In that time, the city said it’s been renovated 10 times.
But, Metzger said some things are beyond basic renovations.
"There's only two bathrooms in the whole station," Metzger said. "This is the only place to do de-con for our firefighters, get the blood-worn pathogens off of them, carcinogens off of them. Then they walk right back into the garage where all the carcinogens are still here from when we had the last fire.”
Other problems include the building size and lack of adequate resources. Metzger said the station isn’t big enough to safely house equipment and trucks and doesn’t have air conditioning in its sleeping quarters.
"Not ideal by any means," Metzger said.
This could all change if Airway Heights voters pass a bond in the August primary election.
The bond would use taxpayer money to help the fire department move into a new station.
“The community has told us over and over again, public safety is the most important thing in the community. So we're asking the community to invest in that public safety," Metzger said.
Metzger said the department is still able to respond when needed from the current station, but with an extra $9.25 a month from the average Airway Heights homeowner, Metzger said service could properly meet the needs of a growing community.
The city of Airway Heights is inviting the public to tour the station, see the state of the facility and ask questions ahead of the August 1 vote.
The city and fire department are hosting two open houses on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. at the station.
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