In its annual review of fire and emergency medical services, Snohomish County Fire District No. 1 reported that it met the 2014 objective for firefighters to arrive within eight minutes on 90.25 percent of emergency calls.
The response time is calculated from the time the SNOCOM dispatch center receives a 911 call, which is a much higher standard than when the unit leaves the station. The response time stops when a fire and/or EMS unit first arrives on site.
The report shows that the Fire District achieved a cardiac arrest survival rate of 71.4 percent in 2014, which is well above the national average of 20 percent.
Overall, calls for fire and emergency medical services increased in 2014 with 2,448 total calls versus 2,294 in 2013 in the City of Mountlake Terrace.
Fire prevention services, public education programs, fire marshal services, community outreach, training and volunteers were also reviewed.
Fire District 1’s fire protection capabilities were upgraded from Class 4 to Class 3 by the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau, which may lower insurance rates for property owners throughout the service area, including Mountlake Terrace. This places Fire District 1 in the top 6.2 percent for the state. No department in the State has a Class 1 rating and just four have a Class 2 rating.
“The city’s relationship with the Fire District continues to be very strong. While the Fire District is a separate municipal agency, we view the Fire District and the services they provide as an extension of the city,” said Interim City Manager Scott Hugill.