User:GusterBear/Chelan County Fire District 1

Chelan County Fire District 1 is a combination Career/Volunteer fire department located in [Wenatchee, Washington] and services the unincorporated areas of Wenatchee and the small community of Malaga to the south. The department serves as an all-risk fire department, and includes a wide range of responsibilities, including urban and suburban fire response, rural fire response, and wildland fire response. It is one of the largest fire districts in the Wenatchee Valley by geographic area, number of stations and apparatus, and, number of firefighters available.

History
The Fire District was formed in the early 1940's by local residents in the foothils of Wenatchee, in what is now the communities of West Wenatchee and Sunnyslope.

In 1986, the Board of Fire Commissioners for Chelan County Fire District 2, a neighboring district serving Malaga and Three Lakes south of Wenatchee, agreed to merge with Chelan County Fire District 1. This merge was caused by an increasing financial demand on apparatus and equipment that could not be met by the rural communities alone. Since 1986, the combined Fire District 1 protects over 65 square miles directly, and many more through mutual aid agreements.

In 2010, a second round of talks began between Wenatchee Fire and Rescue, Chelan County Fire District 1, and Douglas County Fire District 2 (serving East Wenatchee and Rock Island) regarding merging all three departments together to form a regional fire authority. The proposal currently is being discussed by the administrators of the three departments, as well as elected commissioners and council members from each area. If formed, the combined district would be one of the largest in the region, serving two cities with a population nearing 70,000, and protecting over 100 square miles of land. On June 10th, the Wenatchee City Council gave a green light to exploring the merger.

Apparatus and Personnel Profile
Administration:
 * 1 Fire Chief, 2 Assistant Chiefs, and 1 Summer Battalion Chief
 * 2 Administrative Staff
 * 1 Fire Investigator

Stations
 * 2 24-hour staffed stations (Sunnyslope and Malaga)
 * 3 Volunteer Response Stations (West Wenatchee, South Wenatchee/Appleyard, and Squilchuck/Mission Ridge)

Apparatus
 * 4 Command Response Vehicles
 * 4 Engines
 * 6 Brush Units
 * 5 Tenders
 * 1 Ladder
 * 1 Utility Truck
 * 1 Fuel Truck
 * 1 Light Duty Response Truck
 * 1 Snow plow
 * 1 Helicopter (partnership with Washington Department of Natural Resources)