Thurston County Medic One, the county’s emergency service provider, is looking to establish its eighth unit, which would be based at the North End fire station on Linwood Avenue in Tumwater.
Medic One and Tumwater have been developing a framework to implement the new unit. Fire Chief Brian Hurley briefed the Tumwater City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 8, about a series of amendments to the city’s contract with Medic One that aims to provide that structure.
Medic One chose the North End fire station after an analysis of calls received in 2023 to determine which fire station has the most access and the best response time.
Other top contenders included Station 33 on Mullen Road, Lacey, and Station O-1 in downtown Olympia.
The first contract amendment concerns a new model for recruiting new paramedics through an Advanced Life Support Academy.
Hurley said the academy would be a six-week period during which trainees will undergo a structured program to learn the required skills and familiarize themselves with Thurston County protocols.
Tumwater’s paramedics would be part of the academy’s pool of instructors. The city would pay overtime for those paramedic trainers, but Medic One would reimburse up to $40,000 of the costs. Medic One may reimburse more than this amount, but the provisions for the additional costs are included in the third amendment.
The Second Amendment addresses hiring needs. It authorizes the Tumwater Fire Department to hire four new paramedics by December 2024 and allows hiring to ramp up for 2025.
Medic One will reimburse 80% of their salaries, benefits, and equipment costs.
The agency can support 9.5 full-time equivalents. The remaining personnel will be hired in 2025 under the third amendment, which also includes provisions for the initial startup costs.
According to the final amendment, the agency will cover $20,000 in administrative costs and reimburse up to $475,000 for costs related to temporary housing, facility improvements, and salaries after the initial $40,000 has been used.
When Councilmember Angela Jefferson asked about the agreement’s financial impact, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer said that the city will have to spend $45,000 to hire and pay for the first four paramedics by December, with Medic One set to reimburse around $36,000.
Once all nine paramedics have been hired, the city will spend around $2.5 million for the 2025-2026 biennium, with Medic One to reimburse around $2 million.
The amendments will be returned to the council for approval as part of its consent agenda at its Oct. 15 meeting. The county will also have to review and approve the amendments.
Medic One currently has seven paramedic units in the county, two of which are staffed by Tumwater personnel.
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