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1 Kennewick Fire Department – Proposed New Fire Station Frequently Asked Questions The City of Kennewick is actively pursuing the process of adding a fifth fire station to the Kennewick Fire Department. The decision to add a fire station is based not only on the demands faced by a specific area population, incidents, traffic), but also on the needs and assets of the surrounding community. The proximity of the Department’s existing fire stations (Station 62 at N. Morain Street, Station 63 near the Benton County Justice Center, and Station 64 at 27th Avenue and Ely Street) provide excellent emergency services to their respective response areas, but cannot meet response time goals in the proposed Station 65 area off of 10th Avenue. Twenty years have passed since the City built Station 64 on 27th Avenue, and since that time the City’s square miles and population growth have outpaced the capital assets of the fire department. Quite simply, the time has come to add a fifth station so that the Department can continue to provide the fastest response time possible in the case of a fire or EMS emergency. After an extensive search for an adequately-sized, fiscally feasible location that would provide good access for emergency response and the least amount of impact to our citizens, the City is purchasing land at 5500 W. 10th Avenue for the propose of building a fifth fire station (Station 65). The City is committed to keeping the citizens of the City of Kennewick updated and informed as we move forward with construction of a fifth fire station. The following questions and answers are offered in an effort to clarify any concerns our citizens might have with our intended course of action. 1. Why is a new fire station needed? Fire stations are strategically located to provide a high level of response to both fire and EMS emergencies while supporting other fire stations and neighboring fire departments (no political borders, we deploy as a system). Currently, a large area of the City does not realize the same level of fire protection and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) coverage as the rest of the City of Kennewick. The area identified within the attached response map shows that response times are outside of City Council’s adopted response goals of four minutes for EMS travel time response and five minutes for fire travel time response. Locating a fifth fire station on the proposed site at 5500 W. 10th Avenue will allow emergency responders to meet the rapid response times necessary to effectively save lives and protect property. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 2. How long has the City of Kennewick been planning for a new station? The City has been looking for suitable property for a fifth fire station for more than three years. During the property search, the Department made it a priority to find a location that provides the best response coverage while causing the least amount of impact to those living in the surrounding area. 3. Where will the new fire station be located? The City is currently in the process of purchasing a one acre parcel located at 5500 W. 10th Avenue. 4. When could this new fire station be built? Purchasing the property is the first step in securing a good location for future growth so the City can strategically place resources where they will best serve the community. Although the City is actively seeking to acquire a proper site for a fifth fire station, currently there is no funding or construction schedule to build a new station. Once funding is allocated, however, the bidding and design phase will take at least eight months, and the construction phase will take approximately twelve (12) months to complete. We are committed to keeping you informed of any future developments in this process, to include funding updates and an anticipated construction start-date. 5. Why is the W. 10th Avenue location a desirable location for a fifth fire station? The W. 10th Avenue location is a logical choice for construction of a fifth fire station due to its access to major thoroughfares that run through the City of Kennewick. 10th Avenue is recognized as an arterial route through Kennewick that carries a traveler quickly to either the east or west end of the City. In addition, Edison Street and Kellogg Street provide excellent response to the north, and Kellogg Street and Union Street provide rapid response to the south. The W. 10th Avenue location also provides access to signal-controlled intersections, allows for coverage of the southwest area of the City, and meets the Fire Department’s response model recommendations. 6. What structures are currently located on the proposed site? A single family residence and a shop are currently located on the one acre property located at 5500 W. 10th Avenue. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 7. How is the site currently zoned? The 5500 W. 10th Avenue property is currently zoned Residential Suburban (RS). A Comprehensive Plan Amendment is necessary in order to rezone the location to Public Facility (PF). 8. How large of a fire station does the City plan to build? The Fire Department’s current plan is to work with neighboring fire departments on a template fire station design in an effort to find cost savings. A shared design will allow for reduced costs in the design and construction phases of the project. A standard design is anticipated to be an approximately 12,000 sq. ft. single story station with four drive-thru apparatus bays and living quarters for up to six fire fighters. 9. How would the architecture of the building fit into the surrounding neighborhood? The City of Kennewick takes pride in the appearance of its facilities as civic assets. In addition, the Fire Department is sensitive to the need for the fire station building design to mesh with its surroundings. To that end, the City will give thoughtful consideration to the proposed architecture of the building through the design process, and take steps to ensure that the final design is compatible, to the extent possible, with its neighboring residential structures. 10. Will a fire station in my neighborhood negatively impact my property value? Many residents, realtors, and contractors believe that having a fire station in a neighborhood actually increases the value of nearby homes, and there is no conclusive evidence to support a homeowner’s concern that the presence of a fire station in the neighborhood will reduce property values. Further, Benton County Taxation & Assessment is not aware of a home’s assessed value being decreased due to the location of a fire station in close proximity. 11. What value is there in having a fire station in our neighborhood? Building a station on the proposed site will meet the capital needs of the Kennewick Fire Department, but there are advantages to the existing neighborhood as well. Consider the fact that: − The presence of a fire station adds security to the neighborhood. A fire station is a public safety building with 24-hour staffing available to respond 365 days a year. Further, law enforcement personnel often use the fire station as a place to complete reports or address other administrative matters, which adds to the security and quick response should something happen. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 − When fire breaks out or a medical emergency occurs, time is of the essence. Having a fire station in your neighborhood means fire fighters are closer to you or your family in your time of need. − The process of building a fire station includes creating a building that is functional as a fire station, yet complimentary to the surrounding neighborhood. The station could have a community room available for non-profit organizations to use free-of-charge, or some similar amenity for the benefit of the surrounding residential community. − Homeowners within the new station’s first due response area may benefit from lower insurance premiums due to the close proximity of a fire station. With this information, also consider the fact that there are over 500 calls for service each year within the proposed fire station’s first due response area, and over 70% of those emergencies cannot be reached by other fire station units within the four minute EMS travel time response or the five minute fire travel time response. Plus, when one of our existing stations is empty due to other emergencies, the other fire stations are too far away to provide adequate back-up when emergencies occur. All of this information, taken together, demonstrates that placement of a fifth fire station on the 5500 W. 10th Avenue property brings value to the existing neighborhood while meeting the capital needs of the Kennewick Fire Department. 12. Are fire stations noisy? Fire stations are not inherently noisy, and fire fighters are sensitive to their location and their surroundings. Consider the following: − At this site, there is no requirement to sound the fire engine’s siren on an emergency call when leaving the station and exiting onto 10th Avenue. − Not all calls are “lights and sirens” emergency responses. − Although safely exiting the station is a priority, our fire fighters recognize that the siren can be a disturbance to neighbors, and they use it with discretion. This is especially true at night when there are fewer vehicles on the road and no need to clear traffic. − Drive-thru apparatus bays at this station eliminate the need for backing engines into the station, therefore eliminating the need to use rear back-up warning systems. 13. What should I expect living near a neighborhood fire station? Fire fighters are good neighbors and great role models for children in the neighborhood. − Fire fighters enjoy getting to know their neighbors, and play an active role in helping increase preparedness and safety for families. ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 − A fire station is “home-away-from-home” for our fire fighters, who are on duty for 24 hours shifts. They take great pride in keeping their stations and landscaping in excellent condition. − The link below provides an excellent video produced by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue for Oregon State. Visit the YouTube site provided below to hear from residents who live near a fire station: www.youtube.com/user/TualatinValleyFire. 14. How will traffic be handled and will there be a flashing fire signal? No significant traffic impacts are anticipated with this proposed fire station location. A flashing fire signal could be installed if warranted in the future, but is not anticipated at this time. 15. What will the noise, traffic, and lights be like during normal operations and during an emergency? Although there are some similarities, a fire station realizes less vehicle traffic than a traditional business. During non-emergency periods, a fire station would be similar to some small businesses with parking for employees’ personal vehicles and some commercial vehicle traffic. Non-emergency calls and routine traffic should be of minimal impact, if any. During an emergency response, residents in the immediate area may experience the use of emergency lights and sirens as the crews enter the roadway and proceed to an emergency call. The noise produced in connection with an emergency call for service is transitory and dissipates quickly. 16. Why are fire stations 2 to 2.5 miles apart? Fire stations are ideally spaced 2 to 2.5 miles apart throughout the City for optimal response coverage. Many factors influence the number and placement of fire stations within a community. Road networks, traffic calming devices, and natural barriers such as mountains, canyons, and waterways all present challenges to emergency response times. A fifth station improves overall fire response and protection throughout the entire City by increasing the weight (number of fire fighters and engines) and speed of response. Further, a fifth station reduces our dependency on mutual aid assistance on an initial structure fire response. 17. How will the proposed station be funded? City Council’s primary focus is to first secure the property necessary for a fifth fire station in the City of Kennewick. The need for a fifth station has been identified and acknowledged, so a study of the options to fund the construction, equipment and manpower required to make ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 the facility operational will be secondary to finding and purchasing the optimal location for Station 65. 18. What would happen if a fire station is not built at the proposed location? If a fifth station is not built at or near the proposed location, response times will continue to degrade as emergency incidents increase city-wide. Put simply, crews from the other fire stations will not be able to meet the response times necessary to save lives in case of fire or severe medical emergency.