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Mason County Fire District #5 Serving Allyn & Surrounding Communities

by Pam Merrill

Allyn and LakeLand Village residents value their hometown firefighters and paramedics and are quick to praise their professional services. Local Fire District #5 is known for its continuity, dependability and full service, while providing property and fire protection, emergency medical, rescue and dispatch services to 150 square miles of central Mason County. Along with Allyn and LakeLand Village, District 5 includes the communities of Victor, Mason-Benson Lakes and all neighborhoods south to the Shelton City limits. In fact, the district operates 10 fire stations throughout the area, situated so that almost all of the area's residents live within five miles of a station.

Allyn, Victor and LakeLand Village residents are served primarily by Station 51, located on State Route 3 in the heart of downtown Allyn and by a substation in Victor. The Allyn station is a 2,515 sq. foot fire station manned 24 hours/day, 7 days/week with paramedic and EMT/firefighter response crews. Volunteers respond as needed. Equipment includes a pumper, water tender, Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance units.

Mason #5 will transport patients to hospitals in both Mason and Kitsap Counties. Mason General Hospital (MGH), located in Shelton, is approximately 26 minutes from the North Mason area. According to fire department statistics, about 45% of those transported choose MGH. Another 44% choose Harrison Medical Hospital in Bremerton, which is approximately a 37-minute ride. The remaining 11% are transported to other locations, including Silverdale and Tacoma. Patients often choose their destination based on a doctor's availability or the type of emergency (i.e. serious trauma may require airlifting to Harborview in Seattle, while eminent childbirth would be Mason General Hospital or Harrison Hospital in Silverdale).

Last year, Fire District #5 responded to a total of 1,369 calls for assistance, with emergency medical aid being the most frequent request. Area residents simply pick up the phone and dial 911 to set the wheels in motion for an immediate response. Typically, paramedics and emergency medical technicians will be at your front door within three to four minutes if you live at LakeLand Village in Allyn. District 5 also provides paramedic service for the Grapeview area.

Locals will tell you unequivocally how much they appreciate the gentle caring of District 5 paramedics, along with their professional skills and training in times of need. When Bernice Nigh's husband Richard fell ill, district paramedics rushed to his Allyn home. Mrs. Nigh later responded with a heartfelt letter, thanking them for their kindness and noting her appreciation for the "calm, but tender way" that paramedics cared for her husband.

The district's career personnel includes a full-time chief, two assistant chiefs, six full-time firefighter/paramedics and six full-time firefighter/EMTs. Other career personnel work in administrative, maintenance, public education and dispatch positions.

Active volunteers currently number 65, 31 of whom are Washington State Certified Emergency Medical Techicians (EMTs). The remaining volunteers are trained in first aid or are in training as recruits. New volunteers are always welcome.

All new firefighter recruits in District 5 complete approximately 200 hours of training in structural firefighting, first aid, hazardous materials, emergency vehicle operation and wildland firefighting. Weekly drills are held to ensure that all personnel maintain their emergency response skills.

Chief Richard Knight has been an Allyn resident since 1943 and has recently completed his 50th year of service with Fire District 5. He helped form the original Allyn-Victor volunteer fire department in 1953, became chief in 1957 and has been chief of the district ever since. Chief Knight is well known and respected throughout the fire service community and is also actively involved in his hometown of Allyn through the Allyn Community Association.

District 5's 2004 budget is based on a levy tax rate of $1.21 per thousand of assessed valuation. In addition, voters approved a continuation of the Emergency Medical Services tax in September 2003 of .25 cents per thousand for a total of $1.46 per thousand of assessed valuation collected from area homeowners. The district does not collect any special levies, bond levies or benefit assessment charges.

"This is an extremely tight, no growth budget … when you take into consideration that we are a full service district providing fire protection, rescue and advanced life support services," says Fire Commissioner Lorne Hauser.

Over the last 12 years the District 5 call numbers have increased approximately 230%, with the area's population showing an approximate 225% increase. Historically speaking, in 1953 Mason 5's assessed value was $36,000,000. In 2002 the assessed value had grown to $1,024,000,000. In just the last 13 years the total assessed value of property within District 5 has increased $700,000,000 or about 211%. The added assessed property valuations mean that more homeowners are sharing the cost for fire and emergency medical protection and enjoying the benefits of above average service.

Fire District 5 is actively involved in its various communities as well. In early December, Santa Claus makes an annual appearance at the Allyn Waterfront Park, riding on a brightly decorated fire engine much to the delight of the neighborhood children who anxiously await his arrival. Rumor has it that Santa parks his reindeer and sleigh at the Allyn firehall before boarding the fire engine for the short trip to the park.

During the Allyn Days Festival and Salmon Bake held every July, District 5 partners with the North Mason Lions Club to provide a delicious homemade pancake breakfast served at the firehall. And our local Halloween celebration would not be complete without District 5's traditional Haunted Firehouse, manned by a scary contingent of goblins, ghosts and monsters, many of whom serve the community during the daylight hours as friendly firefighters and paramedics.

Public education is ongoing throughout District 5. Members of the Victor Improvement Club recently had the opportunity to attend a CPR and automatic emergency defibrillator (AED) instruction class taught by Eric Moore, career firefighter/EMT with District 5. An AED has been donated to the Victor Club and members were eager to learn how to use it.

Residents of Allyn and its surrounding neighborhoods appreciate the value of the professional service they know they can count on from Fire District 5. The firehouse is always open and residents are invited to stop in and meet the firefighters and emergency medical personnel on duty. And while it's always nice to meet these fine folks for a sociable cup of coffee and conversation, it's extremely comforting to know that these same people will be there when, and if, you ever need help.

Story and photos provided by Tim Wing, Reid Real Estate

www.timwing.com

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