2016 Capital Improvements Bond Updates
April 6, 2020
Lexington Station 25 is completed and open!
March 14, 2020
Bakers Corner Station 22 is completed and open!
July 2019 Update
Construction continues! Both stations are being framed and are having utilities roughed-in. Expected completion dates are still on track for January/February of 2020. Please read this story from The Daily News for details on the project process: https://tdn.com/news/local/new-cowlitz-fire-stations-will-accelerate-fire-response-times/article_a41f4a7f-9526-5235-b9ff-542c56a96eb1.html#tracking-source=home-top-story .
May 2019 Update
We have been very busy since our last update!
Station 22 broke ground on February 18, 2019 and steel pilings were driven 90 feet into the ground. The conduits for electrical and plumbing were set and the foundation was poured. Walls are beginning to be put up now. This project is currently on track for a January 2020 completion date.
Station 25 broke ground on March 20, 2019. The foundation prep work is being completed , plumbing and electrical conduits are placed and the vapor barrier is in, and getting ready for the foundation pour.
January 2019 Update
Construction of Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue’s new fire station (Station 22) at 5699 Ocean Beach Hwy, Baker’s Corner, will begin the first week of February as part of a voter approved capital improvement bond funding, which included two new fire stations, apparatus and equipment. The first phase of construction will include Pile Driving, a requirement of the project. Steel pilings will be driven 90 feet into the Earth helping to stabilize the fire station which is considered  critical infrastructure in the event of an earthquake.
This phase may be noticeable to neighbors in the area in terms of noise and some ground shaking  and is set to start on February 18 and lasting approximately 7-14 days.
October 2018 Update 2
The permitting process for Station 22, Bakers Corner, is finished. We opened acceptance of bids on October 9, 2018, and will close bidding on November 6, 2018 at 2:30 pm PST. We have advertised in The Daily Journal of Commerce Seattle and Oregon, and The Daily News. Plans are available at ARC of Tacoma at https://www.e-arc.com/location/tacoma/ under public plan room and through The Builder’s Exchange of Washington if you are a member.
October 2018 Update 1
The permitting process for Station 22, Bakers Corner, is almost finished and we are beginning to prepare for the bid process. We anticipate advertising for bids beginning on October 9, 2018. We will advertise in the Daily Journal of Commerce, The Daily News, and The Builders Exchange of Washington, where the plans and specifications will be available.
Station 25, Lexington, is still in the permit review process with Cowlitz County.
June 2018 Update
We are in the permitting process on both stations. This is the really boring part. Plans are submitted, the county or the city send them back for changes, we revise and submit them again… We are still expecting to break ground in the late fall.
Join us for the New Engine and Tender Dedication!
Join us on March 28th directly following the Board of Commissioners meeting to dedicate the new fire engine and water tender. They are all finished and ready to go in service! The dedication will be followed by a social time with light refreshments. Hope to see you there!
January 2018 Update
Lots of good news! Then Engine is here! She is beautiful! She’ll spend some time being put through her paces by our crews before she goes in service. For now, enjoy these pictures from her arrival.
We have renderings of our stations! Both Station 22 Bakers Corner and Station 25 Lexington are ready to begin the permit process and will be completed late fall of 2019.
September/October 2017 Update
Progress on the water tender is ongoing. The pump panel has been delivered, and now we are waiting on the tank.Â
The engine is moving right along. Delivery is expected by the end of the year, and the rig should be operational early 2018.
Progress on the stations is moving along at an expected rate. Basic floor plans have been drafted, and the projects are now going through the permiting process. This portion is not very exciting, and takes a long time.
Currently, we expect to offter the project to bid in the early spring of 2018.
August 2017 Update
We are still making progress on the water tender. We are waiting on tank delivery, and then we can move forward with assembly.
The engine has been sent to manufacturing! We expect delivery by the end of the year.
Work on the new stations is ongoing. The building committee is meeting frequently with the architects, and floor plans have been drafted.
Station 22
Station 25
May 2017 Update
We are making progress on the water tender! All the emergency lights have arrived, the pump and housing will arrive in August, and the new stainless steel tank has been ordered from Randco Tanks & Equipment in Kelso. We’ll be painting the tender to match the new Pierce Engine.
There is progress on the new stations too! The Building Committee has met with Rice Fergus Miller, Inc. and determined key elements of the new stations. Surveying, topography, and wet land identification have all been completed. We are also working on an agreement with Cowlitz County to have access to a driveway next to Bakers Corner, which will make entering Ocean Beach Highway safer for motorists and for our crews.
Members of the Engine Committee visited Pierce Manfucturing to give final approval to the engine plans. Now we are just waiting our turn to start production. The new extrication tools have been delivered and are ready to be mounted to the new engine when it arrives.Â
March 2017 Update
For the tender we have purchased:
- A new stainless steel 3000 gallon tank
- 500 gallon-per-minute pump module
- Tires and wheels
- Backup camera
- Emergency lighting package.
We have contracted with Rice Fergus Miller, Inc. to be the architects for the new stations. They have hired Gibbs and Olson as the enginieers for the project. Prep work is ongoing.Â
February 2017 Update
We have ordered a new Pierce PUC Engine from Hughes Fire Equipment, Inc. We will travel to Pierce’s manufacturing facility in April to finalize the engine specifications, and we expect to have the engine here in December 2017.
We have purchased a used chassis for a new water tender at Station 22. The district shop is ordering more parts to continue building the 3000 gallon tender.
Cowlitz 2 crews have spent many hours researching extrication tools, quality reports, and reviews. After spending an entire day field testing different tools hands on, we have ordered a Hurst eDraulic spreader, cutter, and ram. See them in action here.
Special thanks to Bumblebee Towing for bringing us cars to cut up!
We are currently negotiating with an architecture firm for future construction of Baker’s Corner and Lexington stations.
Check back often for more updates!
Proposition Summary - Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue
Capitol Improvements Bond- $11,000,000
On July 27, 2016, the Board of Commissioners of Cowlitz County Fire District 2 voted to bring this proposition before the voters at the November 8, 2016 election. This proposition authorizes the District to replace the Baker’s Corner and Lexington Fire Stations, purchase a fire engine, issue $11,000,000 of general obligation bonds maturing within a maximum of twenty years, and to collect excess property taxes annually to repay the bond.
Quick Facts
Bond Amount: $11,000,000Â
Bond Length: 20 years
Tax Rate: $0.34per $1,000
Average Annual Homeowner Cost: $57.80 (for a home assessed at $170k)Â
The impact will vary based on each property’s assessed value.Â
2016 Operating Budget for C2FR: $7, 263,411
Career Emergency Responders: 33
Volunteer Emergency Responders: 77
Calls in 2015: 4,636
Population Served: 34,389
District Area: 152 sq. miles
Bond vs Levy
Bonds: Bond issues allow for the collection of tax monies and creation of long term bonds, typically for the purpose of constructing, repairing, and /or creating structures and facilities.
Levies:Â Levies allow for the collection of a set amount of tax monies over a short period, typically for the purpose of jurisdiction maintenance, operation, and continuity of services. Occasionally they may be earmarked for upgrades or enhancements of existing services.
Fire Stations 22 and 25
Station 22
5699 Ocean Beach HwyÂ
Longview, WA 98632Â
Station 22 was built in 1965, and currently consists of two main buildings, the apparatus bay and the crew quarters. There are no meeting rooms or training facilities at the station.
Four apparatus are housed at Station 22: Engine 22, Tender 22, Brush 22, and Aid 22.
There are 18 station volunteers who respond from their homes to 650 calls annually.
Station 22 does not currently meet the needs of the district. The apparatus bays are outdated and do not meet modern safety standards. They are too small to house new apparatus and the current apparatus is due for replacement. The crew quarters do not meet modern building codes, nor do they conform to American Disabilities Act standards. A new station would be appropriately sized, have adequate crew quarters, and meeting facilities.
Station 25
1796 Westside Hwy
Kelso, WA 98626Â
Station 25 was built in 1978, and consists of the apparatus bay and crew day room in the same building. There are no meeting rooms or training facilities at the station.
Three apparatus are housed at Station 25: Engine 25, Tender 25, and Brush 25.
There are 12 volunteers who respond to 700 calls annually.
Station 25 does not currently meet the needs of the district. There is not room in the apparatus bay for an ambulance. The building needs major structural repairs and there are no crew quarters, which means it cannot be staffed overnight. A new station would be appropriately sized, have adequate crew quarters, and meeting facilities.