Update on Northshore Fire Contract For Services

Last evening's city council meeting started with a discussion and update related to the fire department signing a contract (not a merger) with either Shoreline Fire or Eastside Fire. The city council thanked the fire commissioners for slowing things down and not making any decisions until the newly appointed fire commissioners were on board so they could be involved in the decision-making process.

Interestingly, under the new contract, the fire department would transport BLS (basic life support or non-life-threatening injuries) to the hospital rather than have the patient transported by private ambulance (usually costing around $900). The fire department would also charge a fee for this but they'd also be out of service (unavailable) until they offloaded the patient and there aren't any hospitals inside the Shoreline Fire District. They typically go to UW Medical Northwest or Swedish Edmonds. On the one hand, this brings revenue to the department but on the other, the aid unit is out of service for longer. Sometimes there can also be a wait for the private ambulance depending on their location and traffic when they're dispatched.

The EMS system is very adept and moving resources if they feel the need so I think the potential for a delayed response due to this arrangement wouldn't be a concern.
It sounds to me like Northshore Fire will sign a contract with Shoreline Fire and that appears to be the logical choice for many reasons that I won't elaborate on. For more information: https://keepnorthshorefirelocal.com/