Firefighters support fire merger, don’t want talks to end.

With the fate of West Sound Fire & Rescue up in the air, local firefighters say the show must go on.

“It would waste all of our work and time and energy put into this and it’s not what any of us want,” said Rob Ashmore, with Bremerton Fire Department (International Association of Fire Fighters Local 437). “None of us want to walk away.”

Many Bremerton, South Kitsap Fire & Rescue and Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue firefighters want the three agencies to merge, forming WSFR, because it would benefit the public.

“Anytime you can provide the same quality of service or better for the same cost or lower, absolutely,” SKFR Battalion Chief Doug Richards said. “If a merger will accomplish that, then yes.”

“In the end, our goals are the same, we serve the same people,” added Charlie Bratcher, with CKFR (IAFF Local 2819).

Steve Davison, with CKFR, said the political boundaries drawn between each fire district are “artificial boundaries that exist from a past era.” In some places, the closest unit is in another fire district, making responding to calls for assistance confusing and difficult at times.

“The closest unit is not necessarily going to be going to that call,” Ashmore said.

“If the sheriff’s department is a countywide agency, why aren’t the fire departments a county agency?” Davison questioned.

Currently, SKFR and BFD drop boundaries at times so whichever unit is closest can respond to the call and Richards said it works well.

“We envision that on a grander scale,” he said.

Ashmore said it would be much simpler and efficient if BFD, CKFR and SKFR operated as one department because they all do the same work, train together at times and respond to the same calls on occasion.

“We have a habit of working together as locals,” Davison said. “We have a history and tradition of working together.”

CKFR was formed through a series of mergers and Ashmore said many people believe those mergers were beneficial to the firefighters and citizens.

“That’s almost not debatable,” he said.

“Every single one produced a better work environment and better service for the citizens,” Richards added.

As for a timeline, Ashmore said the WSFR merger needs to happen soon.

“We’d like to hurry up and do it right, but it looks like we’re going to have to slow down and do it right,” Davison said.

Richards said finances are the biggest issue currently facing WSFR. With property taxes funding a large portion of the fire services, the tough economic times make securing a stable funding source for WSFR difficult.

“We have to stabilize that funding source,” Richards said.

Although the firefighters would like to see all three departments merge to form WSFR, Davison said the task may be too daunting and merging two agencies may be easier.

“It may be in our best interest to merge one into another first, then bring the third after that,” Richards said. “We agree with the phased approach.”

And if the three-way merger eventually happens and goes well, other fire departments, like Poulsbo and North Kitsap, may join WSFR down the road.

“They’ve all been included in this discussion,” Davison said.

Whether the WSFR planning committee decides to push forward with the three-way merger or change direction and merge two departments, Richards and the other firefighters said giving up on the process entirely is not an option.

“I think it’s important to note that all three departments are still at the table, still working toward the goal,” Ashmore said. “We’re still here, we’re still talking.”