What does the future hold for the Lynnwood Fire Department?
The answer to that question won’t be decided for a long time but the Lynnwood City Council is working on trying to find an answer. Earlier this month, the City Council hosted a community meeting on Alternative Fire Service Delivery Options at the Lynnwood Senior Center.
The meeting was the third meeting on the issue but the first specifically directed to Lynnwood residents. Two previous meetings held at the Verdant Community Wellness Center were targeted to some of the City’s partners, including representatives from businesses, educational institutions and neighboring cities.
“The reason we are doing this is because we are trying, as a Council, to determine what we are going to need and where the City is going in the future,” Lynnwood City Council President Loren Simmonds said.
What’s clear is more people, businesses and buildings, some high rise, are coming to Lynnwood. A new hotel, senior housing complex, workforce housing building, an Edmonds School District transportation maintenance facility and an elevated light rail train station are either being build or will be built in the near future. This growth presents challenges for the Lynnwood Fire Department, according to its chief, Scott Cockrum.
Lynnwood’s Fire Chief started his presentation by noting the City is in the middle of Snohomish County Fire District 1’s service area.
“They provide service to all of the areas surrounding us,” Cockrum said.
Lynnwood and Fire District 1 are in each other’s service area every day as part of automatic aid. Typically, 10 to 11 firefighters are on duty in Lynnwood every day, which is the same service level since the mid-1990s, according to Cockrum.