06/19/2026
Last night I attended a presentation by Fire Chief Jason Van der Veen on the WCFD21 levy. Honestly, it was shocking that I was the only one in attendance, so I'm here to share what I learned with you.
Why I'm Voting YES on the Whatcom County Fire District 21 Levy
While I was running for City Council, I had the chance to go on three ride-alongs with Whatcom County Fire District 21. I didn't watch our crews go out call after call, but I did see firsthand how badly our equipment needs updating, and how thin our department is stretched when they're out on calls.
What stayed with me is how easily that thin staffing can become a problem. I haven't personally seen a firefighter have to drive back to the station just to get the fire engine, but after seeing how often crews are tied up, it's not hard to picture: if every unit is in an aid car getting a patient to the hospital, there's no one close by for the next call. That's the kind of overlap that can push response times to 30 minutes or more for a second call in our area.
These aren't hypothetical scenarios. They're happening in Birch Bay, Blaine, and Laurel right now.
Here's the reality:
*Call volume is up 79% since 2006, and we still have the same 3 staffed stations we've had since 2007
*16 of 35 vehicles in the district's fleet are past their recommended service life, including all 4 brush trucks and 7 of 8 water tenders
*The aerial ladder truck suffered a major mechanical failure and can't be repaired, replacement is unfunded
*Station 63 in Birch Bay was built in 1980 and hasn't had a major upgrade in 46 years
What stands out to me most: this district hasn't asked voters to restore the levy in 20 years. The rate has actually fallen from $1.37 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2006 to just $0.77 today, because state law caps annual budget growth at 1%, nowhere close to keeping pace with inflation, population growth, or a 79% jump in call volume. WCFD21 has cut everywhere they can, extended the life of aging equipment, and cross-trained crews to stretch every dollar. They've earned our trust with how carefully they manage what little they have.
Now it's time to give them what they need to keep us safe.
This August, voters will be asked to approve a levy rate of $1.20 per $1,000, still well below the legal cap of $1.50. For a home assessed at $500,000, that's about $50/month, up from about $32/month today. That increase funds three things:
1) Staffing Station 62 (Semiahmoo) 24/7, the only primary station that isn't currently staffed
2) Replacing aging apparatus, water tenders, engines, brush trucks, and the broken aerial ladder
3) Preserving 24/7 coverage at Birch Bay, Blaine, and Laurel, plus upgrading Station 63
If this levy fails, response times will keep climbing, repair costs on failing equipment will keep escalating, and stations could be forced to cut staffing just to meet budget. Homeowner and renter insurance rates are also at risk of going up as the district's ability to respond is strained. One way or another, we pay for this, either by investing now, or by absorbing the cost of inaction later.
I've seen our firefighters and EMTs work incredibly hard with what they have. They deserve a community that backs them up.
Join me in voting YES on the WCFD21 Fire Levy this August.
Questions? Reach out to Fire Chief Jason Van der Veen at (360) 318-9933 or [email protected], or visit www.nwfrs.net.
