Off-duty firefighters show support for Proposition No. 1

Off-duty firefighters in Pierce County turned out across several communities Saturday in hopes of drumming up support for Proposition No. 1.

Voters will decide in the Feb. 13 special election whether or not to renew the operations and maintenance levy.

The levy was first passed in 2014, and if it's not renewed firefighters say it could lead to slower emergency response times throughout the county.

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"If the levy doesn't pass then Fire and Rescue District 21 will have to take a good look at where to make cuts because cuts will have to happen," Graham firefighter Jasper Stenstrom said Saturday.

The official ballot title of Proposition No. 1 reads, in part:

If approved, Proposition No. 1 would result in a merger of District 1 into District 22, thereby creating one fire protection district under the name of Pierce County Fire Protection District 22, which is commonly known as East Pierce Fire and Rescue

A statement from firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and local leaders reads:

The merger will not increase your tax rate and you will continue to receive the same high quality emergency services you have now. 911 calls have increased, and modern firefighting requires more lifesaving equipment, supplies and training. Working together, we can provide the best fi re and emergency services, faster response times, better trained firefighters available 24/7 more efficiently and cost effectively.

Click here to read more on Proposition No. 1.

Cox Media Group