The S.E. Thurston Fire Authority will benefit from the Capital Budget. The State Capital Budget is separate from the operating budget. The Capital Budget is used for funding construction. Lawrence Lake Fire Station #22, serving the Vail Road area has been awarded $252,000.
S.E. Thurston Fire Chief Mark King said, “The funding will go toward site land preparation including, permits, Pocket Gopher study, Site Preparation, new septic tank, drill well, and structural design. We know that the money awarded will not cover the whole cost to build the new fire station, but it will be a good start”.
The rebuilding and reopening of the Lawrence Lake Fire Station, which also serves the Vail Road area will create housing for firefighters allowing SETFA to staff this station 24/7. A fire station located in the Southern area of the fire district would provide faster emergency medical service and fire protection.
Presently, the City of Yelm or Rainier is left without emergency medical services and fire protection when personnel and equipment are dispatched to other areas, for example, Lawrence Lake and Vail Road areas. Travel time (round trip) can take up to 40 minutes, plus time on scene. With traffic congestion on Hwy 507 and 510, add more time for response. Anytime I-5 backs up between Tacoma and Lacey, driving through Yelm is a natural alternate route that chokes traffic to a dead stop.
Yelm is one of the faster growing cities in Washington. The population based on the 2010 census was 6,484. In the year 2017, the census estimate is 8,665. This growth makes the need for 24/7 emergency medical services and fire protection. Rebuilding and opening the Lawrence Lake Fire Station will benefit the entire area, Citizens of Yelm, Rainier, Lawrence Lake and the Vail Road areas.
The Lawrence Lake Fire Station, serving the Vail Road area was made possible through the hard work of your legislators from District 2, Senator Randi Becker, Representative J.T. Wilcox and Representative Andrew Barkis and District 20 Senator John Braun, Representative Richard DeBolt and Representative Ed Orcutt.