SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Fire department wants to build a permanent fire station to serve the Eagle Ridge, Latah Valley area, but have not found a way to fund it yet.
Six years ago, Spokane City Fire Department opened a temporary fire station at the foot of Spokane’s Eagle Ridge development. Station 5 has since reduced response times for the Latah Valley.
The Eagle Ridge development is surrounded by rural forest lands, which puts it at a greater risk of being impacted by wildfires.
In 2015, Eagle Ridge development had about 800 homes. Today, that number has grown by nearly 400 homes, with about 45 more on the way. As the population here grows, so does the need for a permanent fire station and its resources to fight a potential wildfire.
"The quicker you can get any kind of fire equipment, the better chance we have saved in our homes," Eagle Ridge resident Carolyn Jess said.
Carolyn and her husband Larry Jess have owned two homes in Eagle Ridge over the last 20 years. They have seen many changes in the area over the years and a few fires.
"We were very concerned because of the wind," Larry said. "They could blow this right up here in our backyard."
Station 5 is staffed with a three-person company 24/7. They respond to fire and medical calls with an attack truck.
A resource that gives Carolyn a sense of comfort.
"For me, particularly, having the medical services because I had an issue and they were here in less than one minute, which was wonderful, and took me to the hospital I was really grateful for that," Carolyn said.
The fire department wants to build permanent fire station that would provide additional fire resources for this area.
Spokane fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said it could house a Type One engine, which carries about 500 gallons of water.
"What we're doing now (with station 5) is a residence and a home, so it doesn't have what you would expect in a fire station," Schaeffer said. "(Type one engines) really are the Swiss Army knife of our deployment system because they can do so much."
The department has the land for the station.
But Chief Schaeffer and Spokane city spokesperson Brian Coddington told KREM 2's Amanda Roley they have not found a way to fund it yet.
City leaders are discussing this in the upcoming six-year capital plan.
"It's listed as a less urgent need at this point because there's an operating fire station there," Coddington said. "It's about a $7 million cost and so that will have to be identified. Before, it makes it completely on to the capital plan."
Eagle Ridge HOA board member Michael Cressey believes the need for a permanent fire station, and the resources that come with it, is critical for the safety of this growing community.
"It's easy to say it's not a priority when you don't live here, but we live in an area surrounded by forests, and there's an advantage to that and a disadvantage," Cressey said.
Meantime, in the event of a fire the Spokane fire department can coordinate response efforts with other nearby fire agencies.