SEQUIM — Before considering the sale of the Lost Mountain Fire Station, leaders with Clallam County Fire District 3 made one last effort to recruit active volunteers to see if they want to keep the station going.
Dan Orr, who has served as interim fire chief, said at the March 5 fire commissioners meeting that postcards were sent out the same day to residents on Lost Mountain, setting up another community meeting.
“We’re not expecting much, but following through with what we said we’d do,” Orr said.
Fire commissioner Mike Mingee said it “closes the loop” on outreach efforts for the station after several months.
Mingee and fellow commissioners held a special meeting in October at the station, a structure located about six miles south of U.S. Highway 101, to recruit volunteers and hear from residents about potentially selling the station.
After the meeting, district staff put out volunteer signs across the district’s service area but did not receive the needed six volunteers to certify the station active and to lower the area’s insurance rating.
Deputy chief Tony Hudson said the district had one call about volunteering at the station, but no one signed up. He said the postcards and another meeting are the district doing its due diligence.
The volunteer meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the station, 40 Texas Valley Road.
The postcard states, “The District has advertised a great deal since that meeting and has not received any applications from the Lost Mountain community.
“The District’s Volunteer Coordinator and Chief Officers will be present at Fire Station 36 to address inquiries and facilitate sign-ups for those interested in volunteering.
“This will be the final phase of the District’s recruitment efforts and we encourage community members to join us in supporting the continuing operations of the station.”
Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact volunteer coordinator John McKenzie at volunteer@ccfd3.org.
Fire District leaders said for the station to remain active, it must have at least six active volunteers that meet conditioning guidelines and live within a 5-mile radius of the station.
Active firefighter volunteers must train initially two nights a week, and all day on Saturday for four months, pass a physical and complete drills once a month, fire district leaders said.
Station 36 has been used as storage for about a decade and without an active volunteer since 2021. The area’s insurance rating has been higher than in the City of Sequim, as an example, for more than 15 years because of the lack of active firefighters and volunteers in its area, fire district leaders said.
For the October meeting, district staff mailed 379 flyers to area residents about the meeting; 30-plus people attended.
Fire district leaders have said through the communications process they intend to sell the station to offset costs for a new Carlsborg Station 33 at the current Training and Operation Center property on Carlsborg Road.
Station 33 responds to Lost Mountain area calls now and a new facility would accommodate up to six firefighters, staff said.
Of the district’s call load in the last year, staff estimate that less than 1 percent are made from the Lost Mountain area making it not cost effective to pay for staffing the station, they said. The district has three fully staffed fire stations over a 24-hour period covering 142 square miles.
Fire commissioners agreed to list and sell the district’s 1.96-acre East Anderson Road property for $160,000 late last year as they felt the property wouldn’t work anymore for a new volunteer Dungeness Station 31.
The district also received rezoning approval for 5.2 acres on the 100 block of Siebert Creek Road to go from commercial to residential through Clallam County in order to sell that property, too. It was slated to replace Station 32 on U.S. Highway 101.
The property is listed through Mark N. McHugh Real Estate for $175,000, and fire district leaders said on March 5 they have multiple offers for the property, but no decision has been made yet.
For more about Clallam County Fire District 3, visit ccfd3.org.
