Fire Board discusses future of Westport fire station                                                                                                                            Community invited to weigh in as board reviews options for aging facility

WESTPORT, Wash. — The South Beach Regional Fire Authority Board of Fire Commissioners is beginning a public discussion about the future of the fire authority’s aging Westport fire station and the immediate and long-term needs of emergency services in the community.

The current station was built in 1972 and was not originally constructed as a fire station. What began as a garage has been modified and expanded over the years as the community’s emergency service needs grew, but the facility was never designed to support the operations of a modern, 24/7 fire department.

Today, the facility no longer meets modern safety, accessibility, or operational standards. It is also located in a flood and tsunami zone and does not meet current earthquake standards.

The facility also presents operational challenges that can slow emergency response. Sleeping quarters are located far from the fire engines, and upgrades are needed to improve firefighter safety, including modern diesel exhaust removal systems and decontamination facilities to reduce exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens.

“These conversations are about making sure our firefighters have a safe, functional place to work so they can continue protecting the community,” said Fire Chief Daryl Brown. “We want residents to understand the challenges we’re facing and to be part of the discussion about possible solutions.”

In recent years, the fire authority has identified a potential solution: renovating a building that is centrally located within the service area and outside tsunami and flood zones. The building is also located across the street from the fire authority’s training ​facility and could be renovated to include modern sleeping quarters, appropriately sized apparatus bays, and updated safety systems for firefighters.

While no formal decision has been made, the Board of Fire Commissioners is exploring options for how such renovations could be funded.

Community members are encouraged to attend upcoming Board meetings to learn more and provide input as the discussion moves forward. Board of Fire Commissioner meetings take place on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m. at 708 Englewood Lane S in Westport.

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South Beach Regional Fire Authority serves 6,000 residents year-round — and up to 12,000 during the summer — across 32 square miles in southwest Grays Harbor and north Pacific County, including Westport, Ocosta, Grayland, North Cove/Tokeland, and the Shoalwater Bay Tribe. The authority operates as a combination department with full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel responding to approximately 1,800 emergency calls each year.