Fired Up: Snohomish Fire District #4 Hard at Work Expanding Capabilities

Winters in Snohomish are cold, dark, and dreary. When the rain lets up, you might think about gathering around an outdoor fire with family and friends. After all, who doesn’t love roasting marshmallows (or chestnuts) on an open fire? Just make sure that your fire is no larger than three feet wide, three feet deep, and two feet high. It can only be used for cooking or recreational purposes, and must make use of dry, seasoned firewood only.

And no, your yard debris doesn’t count.

If your fire gets out of hand, you’ll find yourself calling 911 and you might get to meet some of the amazing men and women with Snohomish County Fire

District #4. They provide service to 60 square miles stretching from Fobes Hill to Cathcart to Lord Hill to Dutch Hill toward Machias.

Depending on where you call from, though, it might not be Fire District #4 that gets to you first. “We call it a borderless system, or automatic aid,” said

Chief Don Waller. This regionalization provides the best services at the lowest costs, and Fire District #4 is a frequent collaborator with neighboring fire departments. For example, the district is part of a training consortium that takes advantage of the Ray Lee Brown Training

Facility on South Machias Road. Indeed, training is critical to maximizing the district’s capabilities.

While most Fire District #4 personnel are full-time staff, there are also eight part-time firefighters. These firefighters receive the same training to ensure there is no discrepancy in preparation between full-time and part-time staff.

The district has also emphasized advanced emergency medical services (EMS). “We now guarantee that two of our stations provide advanced life support,” said Waller, who added that they hope to eventually have a third station with the same capabilities. It’s also important to have fully trained water technicians, whose specialized training allows them to enter bodies of water. In the past, the district had to wait for someone from a neighboring agency when responding to an emergency in the water.

“Nothing is better than real life experience,” Waller stressed. The district’s new, more capable wildland vehicle not only increases firefighting capabilities, it also allows them to help respond to wildfires in other parts of the states, providing critical on-the-job training that District #4 firefighters bring home with them. Recent years have seen wildfires make more of an impact in Western Washington, as illustrated by the Bolt Creek Fire last summer. “It’s happening at a pretty steep curve,” said Waller, which demands that both the district and the public improve wildfire preparation.

Fire District #4 provides a variety of public programs and resources to teach fire safety and disaster preparedness. Their newsletter, which is printed quarterly in addition to monthly digital versions, is a great place to start – sign up at snohomishfire.org. You can also follow the district on social media or catch them at community events such as Kla Ha Ya Days and National Night Out. Reach out for more information about CPR classes and other trainings.

That fire you started to roast marshmallows? That probably doesn’t require a permit. But any other kind of burning does, so please visit the district’s website to learn more and apply for a burn permit. Understanding who does what can be a challenge in Snohomish. While the City of Snohomish was annexed into the fire district in 2004, city government is still responsible for fire code enforcement and investigations. Snohomish County Fire District #4 is responsible for fire, rescue, EMS, and burn permits – so if you’ll be roasting something other than marshmallows, make sure to give them a call. It just might save you a 911 call down the road.