Hey there West Seattle neighbors!

I have lived here for 20 years and am a Seattle Fire Fighter who works in the West Seattle district. Currently we have had an additional Ladder Truck (L13) and Medic unit (M26) assigned to this area (which we've needed for a long time) while the WS bridge was closed. At the end of the year these two rigs will be discontinued. I'm writing in hopes that your voice will be heard. Did you know that there is only 1 medic unit assigned to the entire West Seattle area? What happens to those medical emergencies while that unit is transporting a patient to Children's Hospital or Northwest Hospital.....it leaves ZERO medic units in West Seattle to respond. The next units would be coming from Rainier Valley, Downtown or north of the ship canal. Some emergencies can't wait that long.

Similarly, West Seattle only has 1 ladder truck to perform tasks that crews of a fire engine can't. Any residential fire, major auto extrications or major incidents have 2 ladder trucks dispatched. The nearest ladder truck would be coming from Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley or downtown. This adds several minutes to a unit to arrive.

Comparatively, there are 3 ladder trucks north of the ship canal, 4 down town, 2 east of I-5....so when West Seattle's ladder truck is dispatched there are ZERO ladder trucks to cover the West Seattle area.

West Seattle has grown in population significantly in the last 5 years. We are in need of keeping L13 and M26. Please consider contacting our city council members and let them know that your emergencies matter!

https://www.seattle.gov/.../city.../contact-the-city-council

Tiffany Colman