Beefing Up Fire Response

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By Molly Kelleher

Summary

Things are changing for local fire departments starting next month. More firefighters will now respond to structure fires. But it's not more firefighters hired. It's more units called out.

Story Published: Nov 19, 2009 at 5:54 PM PST

Beefing Up Fire Response
TRI-CITIES - Things are changing for local fire departments starting next month.

More firefighters will now respond to structure fires. But it's not more firefighters hired. It's more units called out.

"By having more units on the scene it's making it safer for our firefighters and making us do our job better," said Brain Cole with Kennewick Fire Department.

So here's how they're doing it. Kennewick, Richland, Benton 1,2,3 and 4 also Pasco and Hanford are all going through training this week.

They are now having multiple agencies can respond to a fire.

The change starts December 1st.

In Kennewick, for example, it will mean instead of 15 firefighters called out there will be 18 for a house fire and 24 for a commercial fire.