Firehouse Insider: Clallam County Fire District 3’s 2025 accomplishments and goals for 2026

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, January 7, 2026

In 2025, we focused on people, equipment, and planning to keep pace with our community’s needs. We have hired five new Firefighter/EMTs, which is already strengthening day-to-day staffing, supporting our crews on consecutive incidents, and improving our capacity to respond when you call.

We also modernized our frontline apparatus. Two of the three Spartan fire engines ordered in 2023 have arrived and will enter service at our busiest stations, Station 33 in Carlsborg and Station 34 in Sequim. We anticipate delivery of the third engine this month, at which time it will be assigned to Station 37 in Blyn. To mark these milestones, we will host community “push-in” ceremonies when each engine goes into service. We’ll announce dates on the District’s website and our Facebook and Instagram pages, and everyone is invited to join us.

Meeting rising daytime demand for emergency medical services was another priority this year. We launched a pilot program that staffs an additional ambulance from Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with two Firefighter/EMTs. This unit focuses on lower-acuity calls that do not initially require paramedic-level care, allowing our paramedic units to remain available for the most critical incidents.

When needed, the crew can request paramedic support. Early results show marked improvements in system availability and continuity of service, thanks in large part to the leadership of our senior FF/EMT Jared Romberg, who is developing the playbook for future operations. The unit has also been instrumental in smoke investigations to rule out illegal burns, welfare checks, and lift-assist calls. We will continue refining this model to maximize community benefit.

More than a year into our Community Paramedic Program, community response has been overwhelmingly positive. By connecting frequent 911 callers with appropriate care and local resources, we are seeing fewer repeat calls, better outcomes for patients, and improved availability of emergency units for high-acuity incidents.

Long-term planning advanced significantly in 2025 with the adoption of our Capital Improvement Plan, which guides prudent investments in facilities and vehicles. A key component was a station location study that identified where new stations would most effectively serve our growing area.

Station 31, currently volunteer-only, presents structural and site challenges as it is not seismically safe and lies within the tsunami zone. To better protect the north end of the district, we have secured property in the Cays/Woodcock area, which offers improved north–south and east–west access on faster roadways. While land is secured, design and construction will take time, and we will keep the community informed as we reach each milestone.

Our call volume continued to rise in 2025. Your firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics responded to a record-setting ~9,800 calls for service through late December, and the final tally will be available in early 2026. Based on year-end trends, we expected to surpass 10,000 calls for the first time in the district’s history. It’s a record we did not hope to set, but it reflects the growth and evolving needs of the community we serve.

Looking ahead to 2026, we will put the voter-approved levy support to work by hiring additional personnel to keep up with demand and reduce strain on our crews. We will evaluate the daytime ambulance pilot using data, community feedback, and crew input to determine the best path for continuation or expansion.

Placing the third Spartan engine into service at Station 37 upon its arrival this month is a near-term priority, as is advancing planning for the replacement of Station 33 and the Cayes/Woodcock station site and implementing facility resilience improvements across existing stations. We will also continue to expand call-reduction strategies, strengthen public education, and deepen partnerships with healthcare and social service providers to prevent emergencies where possible and keep paramedic units available for the highest-acuity calls.

As winter sets in, please drive carefully after freezes and during storms. Check your generators now — fuel, cords, placement, and carbon monoxide safety — and make sure your household has enough medications and medical supplies to get through potential power outages. If you use an electric recliner, this is a good time to replace the battery backup!

Your continued support — especially through the levy — directly strengthens our ability to respond when you need us. All of us at Fire District 3 are honored to serve you, and we look forward to doing so safely and effectively in 2026. Wishing you a safe, healthy, and bright new year.