Lacey Fire District No. 3
Lacey Fire District #3 provides fire, emergency medical and other services from five stations strategically located within a 70 square mile service area. Situated in northeast Thurston County and bordered essentially by the Nisqually River and the City of Olympia, the service area is home to more than 93,000 residents. This includes the City of Lacey and surrounding areas.
The Fire District is governed by a five-member Board of Fire Commissioners. The Board hires a Fire Chief, who implements the Board's policy direction into District operations and emergency services.
The Commissioners annually adopt a budget; in 2017 the operating budget is $20,468,551.
The District operates four of the five stations as 24-hour staffed stations. Each day the personnel who provide this staffing include a Battalion Chief, 4 Lieutenants, 4 paramedics, and 12 firefighters. This career staff is supplemented by a dedicated group of volunteer firefighters. The total ranges from 20 to 40. Lacey Fire District's volunteer Firefighters gave over 10,000 hours in 2016 working alongside the career Firefighter staff. Their selfless contributions to the Fire District and community enrich the lives of countless others. The value of their service in 2016 was over $280,000.
Administrative volunteers provided over 3,000 hours of service to the Lacey Fire District #3 in 2016. Administrative volunteers assist in reception, records management, finance and at events.
Emergency Medical Calls and Rescues
In 2016, Lacey Fire District #3 responded to 10,152 calls for emergency medical or rescue-related assistance. These types of calls included: diabetic problems, falls, allergic reactions, chest pains - the entire gamut of medical problems that people experience.
61% of the emergency medical calls are handled by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs); these calls are referred to as Basic Life Support (BLS) calls. The other 39% required the service of the District's paramedics. The paramedics are able to perform Advanced Life Support (ALS) services, when the emergency is life threatening.
Rescues are time and personnel intensive. Often these types of calls involve specialized protective clothing and equipment for the responders, who then extricate people out of confined areas, out of tall trees, rescued from the ice, or from up or down steep hillsides.
The Fire District is governed by a five-member Board of Fire Commissioners. The Board hires a Fire Chief, who implements the Board's policy direction into District operations and emergency services.
The Commissioners annually adopt a budget; in 2017 the operating budget is $20,468,551.
The District operates four of the five stations as 24-hour staffed stations. Each day the personnel who provide this staffing include a Battalion Chief, 4 Lieutenants, 4 paramedics, and 12 firefighters. This career staff is supplemented by a dedicated group of volunteer firefighters. The total ranges from 20 to 40. Lacey Fire District's volunteer Firefighters gave over 10,000 hours in 2016 working alongside the career Firefighter staff. Their selfless contributions to the Fire District and community enrich the lives of countless others. The value of their service in 2016 was over $280,000.
Administrative volunteers provided over 3,000 hours of service to the Lacey Fire District #3 in 2016. Administrative volunteers assist in reception, records management, finance and at events.
Emergency Medical Calls and Rescues
In 2016, Lacey Fire District #3 responded to 10,152 calls for emergency medical or rescue-related assistance. These types of calls included: diabetic problems, falls, allergic reactions, chest pains - the entire gamut of medical problems that people experience.
61% of the emergency medical calls are handled by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs); these calls are referred to as Basic Life Support (BLS) calls. The other 39% required the service of the District's paramedics. The paramedics are able to perform Advanced Life Support (ALS) services, when the emergency is life threatening.
Rescues are time and personnel intensive. Often these types of calls involve specialized protective clothing and equipment for the responders, who then extricate people out of confined areas, out of tall trees, rescued from the ice, or from up or down steep hillsides.
Fire Responses
Fire responses include calls where flames were present and required extinguishing. The Lacey Fire District responded to 278 fire calls in 2016.
Fire responses include house fires or other building fires, chimney fires, vehicle fires, wildland fires and others including dumpster and stove top fires. Although fire loses totaled about $2.6 million in 2016, there were no civilian fire-related deaths.
Total Responses
In 2016, the Lacey Fire District 3 responded to 12,964 calls for assistance. This represents an increase in call volume of over 3% from 2015.
In 2016, the Lacey Fire District 3 responded to 12,964 calls for assistance. This represents an increase in call volume of over 3% from 2015.
Other District Services
When not responding to emergencies and non-emergencies calls for assistance, the firefighters, EMT's, paramedics, and staff engage in a variety of activities and programs to provide additional service to our Community.
When not responding to emergencies and non-emergencies calls for assistance, the firefighters, EMT's, paramedics, and staff engage in a variety of activities and programs to provide additional service to our Community.
- Citizen CPR: Lacey Fire District #3 members are heavily invested in teaching hands only Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly known as CPR. In 2016 District Staff developed a Virtual Reality training experience to reach over 20,000 people in 2017. Fire District Firefighters/EMT's and paramedics teach CPR to all 7th and 11th grade students in North Thurston Public Schools.
- Fire safety education. Every year, the Firefighters visit with elementary classes in the North Thurston Public Schools.
- Speedy Spotter Locator signs - these crucial address signs help us find you in an emergency by providing easy-to-read house numbers.
- Infant and Child car seats - the District has six members who have completed the 40 hour program to be recognized as Infant and Child Car Seat inspection and Installation Technicians.
- Burn permits - during the open burning season, we issue free burn permits for District citizens living outside the urban growth management area.
- Bicycle helmets for children and adults - the District will provide a free bicycle helmet that is custom fitted by trained District members.
- Blood pressure checks - blood pressure checks are free at any of the staffed locations.
- Smoke Detectors - the District provides free smoke detectors for citizens without a working smoke detector in their home.
- Vial of Life - the District provides a free kit for citizens to record medical history and place in their home so that firefighters can access this critical information in an emergency medical response.
Always find usefule information and Board of Fire Commissioner's actions at www.laceyfire.com