Currently, Burien does not provide fire department services to all of its citizens. For several north end neighborhoods, Burien contracts out fire services to the North Highline fire department.

If Seattle annexes all of North Highline, Burien will have to find a way to provide fire protection to these neighborhoods.

One option for Burien is that after Seattle annexation, Burien could continue providing contracted fire services to these neighborhoods by using the Seattle Fire Department. This would save Burien the $1.2 million cost of building a new fire station.

Since the Seattle Fire Department has a higher state rating for fire protection than either North Highline or Burien, contracting with Seattle would actually provide North Burien with a higher level of coverage than it is currently receiving.

For example, the North Highline Fire Department relies on a combination of professional firefighters and volunteer firefighters-in-training to staff its engines and respond to house fire calls.

Seattle relies only on professional fire fighters to staff its 33 stations.

In a house fire, Seattle will send a minimum of two two-person professional teams of firefighters.

North Highline sends one two-person professional team, supplemented by trained volunteer firefighters.

With Seattle annexation, a home fire will have access to five engine companies, two ladder trucks, a medic unit, two battalion chiefs, a deputy chief, a safety chief, an aid car, and an air unit.

Seattle also provides a Rapid Intervention Team for possible firefighter rescues if firefighters are trapped or lost in a building.

City wide, Seattle has 32 engine companies and 11 ladder trucks, each with four professional firefighters. These stations are divided into five battalions, each supervised by an on-duty battalion chief and a platoon deputy chief of operations.

There are seven Medic 1 units in Seattle, each with an on-duty medical services officer 24 hours a day.

As a result, Seattle is ranked as one of the best fire departments in the country and is one of the safest places on earth to have a heart attack.

The Seattle Fire Department also has specialized technician-level trained personnel, including a Hazardous Materials Unit, Decontamination Unit, Heavy Rescue, Confined Space/Tunnel rescue, and Trench, Dive, Marine Emergency response and High Angle Rope Rescue teams.

Seattle also provides a state-of-the-art fire training facility in eastern White Center that the North Highline Fire Department rents from Seattle to train its staff.

The North Highline Fire Department does not have the resources to provide these services.

State law will require that all North Highline professional firefighters will keep their jobs and move to the Seattle Fire Department.

Increased safety, extremely fast response times and significantly improved emergency resources will make Seattle's new North Highline neighborhood one of the safest places in the world to live.

If Burien is willing to consider this option, I am willing to negotiate with Seattle on Burien's behalf to ensure that North Burien also has access to these services after annexation.

Mark Ufkes, President

White Center Homeowners

Association