Grant 5 lays off 3 firefighters

MOSES LAKE - Grant County Fire District No. 5 recently laid off three firefighters due to budget cuts.

District 5 Commissioner Pat Hochstatter said Wednesday the department is short about $200,000 for the 2013 budget and cuts had to be made.

The three fire fighters laid off were some of the newer hires, Chief Dan Smith said. Smith did not disclose the names of the employees but said they started work around the time the ambulance service was cut in 2009.

Smith said the cuts mean more responsibility will fall on the hands of the 70 volunteer fire fighters. The department now has eight paid firefighters, including Smith. The cuts mean one less body per shift.

"A lot of fire fighting takes bodies," Hochstatter said.

Hochstatter said the department has taken a hit the last two years with budget cuts and relied on a growing number of volunteers. He said the department is at the bottom of budget priorities and more money was allocated to county roads and the library district. The layoffs will help fill the budget gap but not completely.

There are currently no plans to cut services, Hochstatter said. Part-time employees could be brought on to help during peak fire season, but no plans have been made. District 5 serves the greater Moses Lake area.

The next Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. March 18 at the fire department's office on 11058 Nelson Road NE, Moses Lake.