Local Fire Department Bunks with Forest Service

In February 2008, Asbestos was discovered in Station 87 Eastside Fire & Rescue located in North Bend, WA during kitchen remodeling. This resulted in a need to house Station 87 personnel and apparatus in temporary quarters until negative asbestos test results were received after the asbestos was removed. On February 19, 2008 Officers from Eastside Fire & Rescue approached Snoqualmie District Ranger Jim Franzel with an emergency request to house the firefighters and apparatus of Station 87 in North Bend, WA in the vacant women's barracks and engine bays in the fire warehouse. The request was granted with South Fire Zone FMO Anthony Starkovich and AFMO Hans Redinger acting as liaisons between the fire department personnel and the Snoqualmie Ranger District.

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Eastside Fire & Rescue participate in a Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement, which has normally consisted of up to two Eastside Fire officers participating on Type 1 or Type 2 incident management teams. Through the agreement, the US Forest Service was able to provide critical emergency assistance to the local fire department in appreciation for the emergency assistance received from the department during the summer fire season.

The staff of Station 87, "The Black Sheep", quickly adapted to their temporary home, affectionately nicknamed "Camp 87." The engine bay doors at the fire warehouse were found to be an inch too low for Engine 87 to be housed indoors, but power cords were available to keep the apparatus plugged into the electrical system and space was more than adequate for bunker gear, storage racks, and equipment. Camp 87 officially closed on March 3 when Station 87 was cleared for personnel staffing.

For more information, contact Anthony Starkovich, MSF South Zone Fire Management Officer, at astarkovich@fs.fed.us or at (425)888-1421 Ex. 250. Information about Eastside Fire and Rescue can be found at http://www.eastsidefire-rescue.org/.

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