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At its Oct. 12 meeting, the Oakville City Council approved a resolution in support of two levies that are on the ballot this November for Grays Harbor Fire District No. 1 (GHFD).
“I’ve lived in Oakville pretty much all my life,” said City Councilor Jason Edwards, “and I know firsthand how important the fire department is to this community.”
The resolution recognizes GHFD No. 1 — the oldest in Grays Harbor County — is a key part of the Oakville community, utilizing two stations to provide fire and emergency services over a 97-square-mile area.
“We really appreciate the support of the City of Oakville and are grateful to be able to provide life-saving services to our community,” Chief Carlton Rhoades said.
There are two levy requests before voters: One is a lift to support the GHFD’s daily operations and maintain emergency service levels to help address current inflation. This funding includes personnel, station and apparatus maintenance, training costs and equipment replacement, along with fire and EMS supplies. Funding these items is essential to delivering services and maintaining fire insurance ratings, according to the district.
The second is specifically an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy, which addresses GHFD No. 1’s commitment to transporting community members, directly supporting responders, and reducing dependence on outside agencies for medical transports.
This targeted levy helps sustain faster, higher quality medical response for heart attacks, strokes, trauma and other time-critical emergencies. As well, it provides long-term stability while maintaining public accountability, according to the district.
“Oakville is very proud of all of the wonderful services the Fire District provides,” Mayor Bill Breedlove said. “And this resolution hopefully encourages voters to review the ballot measures carefully and make their own choices for the ongoing support of our fire department.”
A GHFD open house is scheduled for Oct. 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. It is an opportunity for residents to get the facts, ask questions and hear directly from the fire chiefs about what these upcoming levies mean for the department and the community.
Community members can also meet local emergency responders and get to know the people who serve the community and get an up-close look at their firefighting gear, equipment and emergency vehicles.
