Chehalis council creates interlocal committee to test joint operations with two fire districts

The Chehalis City Council voted Sept. 22 to establish a cooperative interlocal agreement committee with Lewis County Fire District 5 and Lewis County Fire District 6 to negotiate a draft ILA that would test joint fire and emergency medical services operations. The resolution (21-2025) authorizes a committee to draft and review an ILA and return recommendations to the participating governing bodies.

The chiefs presenting to the council described the proposal as a test period — a “dating” phase — in which the three agencies would operate jointly to evaluate whether unified deployment, training and medical oversight would improve service without merging budgets or surrendering elected officials’ authority. The chiefs said the trial would be “no cost” to governing bodies and that each agency would retain its assets and budget control during the trial.

Council members and presenters said the ILA is intended to address rising call volumes, staffing shortages and duplicated resources. Presenters highlighted potential benefits including faster response times by dispatching the closest unit regardless of district lines; standardized training and policies; a shared medical services officer to improve clinical oversight; and the ability to pursue regional grant programs such as the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) through FEMA as a consolidated applicant. Presenters gave operational examples, noting some stations would be able to reach neighboring areas more quickly under unified dispatch and that shared staffing would reduce delays when multiple calls occur simultaneously.

The chiefs also outlined services that could be expanded under a joint model, including community paramedicine follow-up visits, specialized teams for technical rescue and wildfire response, and shared fleet and supply purchasing to reduce redundancy. They noted District 5 already transports 100% of its patients and that District 6 and Chehalis would transition to transport if the model moved forward, potentially creating an additional revenue stream.

Officials acknowledged likely objections — “turf,” political control and finances — and said the governance committee would address those concerns, labor issues and the duration of the trial. Committee membership, as described to the council, will include the three chiefs, one elected representative from each jurisdiction and a labor representative from each department; the committee will draft the operations plan and recommend next steps to each governing body. The chiefs said the committee could propose a one-, two- or multi‑year trial and that options after the trial include full consolidation, a permanent joint operations model, or a return to independent operations with enhanced coordination.

The council motion to form the cooperative ILA committee also designated Mayor Tony Ketchum as the city’s representative to the committee. Council members voted in favor; the resolution passed.

Next steps described by presenters: the committee will review the draft ILA and submit recommended revisions; legal counsel will review the recommended ILA; and each governing body (Chehalis City Council and the two fire district boards) would vote on implementation. Presenters said an operational start in January was an objective if approvals proceed on the proposed schedule.

Speakers included Chehalis Mayor Tony Ketchum and the fire chiefs representing Chehalis and Lewis County Fire Districts 5 and 6, who jointly made the presentation and fielded council questions. Several councilmembers thanked the chiefs for the presentation and expressed support for moving the process forward.

The council vote establishes a committee to test joint operations; it does not change department budgets, asset ownership or elected officials’ authority.