Thank you for supporting Pierce County Fire District 10.
Pierce County Fire District 10 includes approximately 17,000 residents and businesses in the city of Fife and the nearby unincorporated area of Fife Heights. Pierce 10 contracts with the Tacoma Fire Department to provide fire and emergency medical services at a significant savings to taxpayers.
Our partnership with Tacoma Fire provides a higher level of service at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Pierce 10 property owners pay $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed property value for fire and EMS, compared to $2 per $1,000 charged by most fire districts. Residents also have access to more firefighters and paramedics, emergency apparatus, and other life-saving services, such as technical rescue teams for water-related incidents, hazardous materials spills, and fire prevention and investigation.
Our current fire station needs to be replaced.
The current station, built in 1954, is past its usable life and requires replacing to improve public safety and the health and safety of our firefighters.
One concern for public safety is that the station is not earthquake-resistant, and sleeping quarters for firefighters are located far from emergency apparatus, which can delay response times. Sleeping quarters also lack adequate space for a diverse workforce, and the bays are not large enough to accommodate modern apparatus, leaving them vulnerable to weather or vandalism.
Firefighter health and safety is also a priority. Cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters. Tacoma Fire has had three cases of job-related cancer deaths in the past five years. Decontamination units for firefighters returning from calls do not meet current standards. These types of carcinogens can contribute to cancer in firefighters.
The contract with Tacoma Fire says that Pierce 10 is responsible for its own fire station.
While the contract with Tacoma Fire saves taxpayers money on daily operations, it requires the fire district to replace its own station. That’s why Pierce 10 is asking voters to consider a bond during the August 4, 2026, primary election. The fire district has identified property near the existing site that could accommodate a new facility. (It is not economical to replace the existing station at its current location.)
Replacing our fire station would improve public safety and the health and safety of our firefighters.
The replacement station would be built to support emergency response during local or national disasters, such as earthquakes or tsunamis. Sleeping quarters would be located next to apparatus to reduce emergency response times. The facility would also include modern exhaust removal systems and decontamination facilities to improve firefighter health and safety.
The cost of the bond is estimated to be $0.28 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For a home with an average assessed value of $600,000 (considered near average for the area), it would cost about $14 per month or $168 per year.
Pierce 10 operates under a balanced budget, has no debt, and has a 25-year history of clean audits by the state. Deputy Chief Jeff Jensen (Ret.) is available to answer questions about a new station at 253-591-5798 or jjensen@pcfd10.org.