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VIEWPOINT
By
Bryan Johnson
ON
September 18, 2001 Blaine voters will be asked to approve
funds for the construction of a new station. The present
station, located on H Street, has been declared seismically
unfit for further use and has been vacated.
Equipment and personnel are being temporarily housed in
a warehouse on Yew Avenue pending the construction of a
new facility. Based on studies of future population growth
(the population is anticipated to double in the next 10
years), and with the accompanying increase in medical emergency
and fire responses, it is anticipated that a 10,000 square
foot structure would provide Blaine with a state-of-the-art
fire station. This would be home to sufficient staff, equipment
bays, office space, as well as day and sleepover accommodations
for both paid and volunteer fire fighters.
To enable Blaine to build its new station, Fire District
13 would purchase the land for the Blaine station, leaving
the city of Blaine only responsible for the building. While
no piece of property has been selected, there are several
promising locations under consideration. These pieces of
land have been chosen for their proximity to Blaine’s
area of greatest population density, and for their quick
access to major local roads. The construction of the Blaine
station is in no way linked to the November vote on annexation,
nor would the new station be used as a headquarters for
the newly formed North Whatcom Fire and Rescue Services
entity. When the annexation vote passes, the new station
would be used to serve the citizens of Blaine.
Construction costs of the station would be funded through
the issuance of a $1.6 million bond with a 20 year maturity.
As was the case in the 1994 construction of the community
center, the bond issue would be put to a vote of the citizens
of Blaine. Blaine taxpayers would not experience an increase
in their tax rates. The levy of $.27 per $1,000 would be
deferred until 2003 when the $.27 ten-year levy to fund
the community center is paid off. One levy would simply
replace the other.
During recent weeks, a team of local fire fighters traveled
around the state visiting fire stations to gather ideas
for the Blaine design. They found a number of stations that
they liked. The new building will offer the citizens of
Blaine and its fire fighters a state-of-the-art facility
to meet the city’s emergency needs with few drills
and architectural grandeur.
The new station would provide much needed space for decontamination
of personnel and equipment, a dormitory area, separate washroom
facilities for men and women, a training area, an area for
storage of medical supplies, and a kitchen facility. It
will be a facility that will also lend itself to use for
community functions, as well as engender a sense of pride
in paid and volunteer fire fighters alike. A series of community
meetings are planned to underscore the need for a new facility
and to address citizen concerns. There will also be a number
of small gatherings at the Yew Avenue site and other locations
followed by two large meetings in late August, one at the
community center and the other at the Inn at Semiahmoo.
There are few families in Blaine whose lives have not been
touched by the professional and efficient members of the
Blaine fire department. The citizens of Blaine are urged
to vote to approve the construction of a new fire station
to provide a modern home for these essential public services.
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