By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – Two of the four fire stations in the Clallam 2 Fire Rescue District are too old to meet current building code and housing requirements and must be torn down and replaced. But there’s a problem. The lot sizes of both the Gales Addition and the Dry Creek stations are too small to build modern facilities.

Clallam 2 Fire Chief Jake Patterson says they have no choice but to find new properties to build two new stations.

“Exactly. Both the current Dry Creek and Gales Addition fire stations were originally built as all-volunteer stations, and then they were added onto in the late 70s, with a couple more apparatus spaces. But they have no modern fire protection systems, they have no vehicle exhaust capture systems, modern fire apparatus doesn’t fit in them, and there’s a whole myriad of health and safety issues related to them. And then, one of the things in the report was, a structural engineer came and looked at the stations, and they don’t meet any kind of structural stability in an earthquake for an essential facility, like a fire station.”

And because they were built as volunteer stations, they have no housing and no space on the properties to add it. But that’s something the Clallam 2 Fire District now needs, as the population has grown in the 60 years since they were built.

We asked Chief Patterson where he thinks they will build the new stations and if it necessarily means they will be selling their current properties.

“We don’t have any designated spot. That’s the step we’re in right now. We’re just trying to nail down where we might be able to locate fire stations. So, I think that we owe that to the public, to be able to tell them, as we move forward in this process, what our vision is and where we see those fire stations. If we’re able to get to the point where we get new fire stations, it’ll be a decision at that time by the Commissioners, whether we keep them or sell them, or find some other use for them.”

Patterson says it’s a little early to set a timeline for getting this done, but the process is moving forward.

“We’ve completed those first few steps, where we’ve done our due diligence and made sure that this isn’t just a want. It’s a need. And we kind of confirmed that with our facilities assessment. And so, we’re going to move forward and determine the best path and the timeline on how we can get this accomplished.”

(Photo: Gales Addition firehouse)