East Pierce Fire and Rescue and Pierce County Fire District 8 (Edgewood Fire Department) took the first step in merging both agencies after signing a 10-year interlocal agreement for administrative services.

“I’m excited about this,” Fire Chief Jerry Thorson said. “We have been working very hard with the leadership of Edgewood and Milton to bring the three organizations together.”

The pact becomes effective Aug. 1 and ends July 31, 2019. The agreement can be terminated by either party with a six-month notice.

Commissions from both districts gathered at the East Pierce headquarters July 21, approving the agreement during that meeting.

Under the terms of the agreement, East Pierce will provide District 8 with administrative services including full authority to manage and administer the operations of District 8.

Thorson will serve as fire chief of both agencies.

Current firefighters and medics of District 8 will remain employees of District 8, not East Pierce.

Before the 10-year agreement ends, East Pierce and District 8 can negotiate an interlocal agreement or District 8 voters may approve a merger with East Pierce.

District 8 Fire Chief Ed Goodlet said the agreement gives both agencies the legal formation of one administrative command staff.

“It allows us the opportunity to reduce duplicate responsibilities (and) streamline our efforts,” Goodlet said. “Most of all, it maximizes our ability to provide an improved level of fire and emergency medical services to the citizens of both communities.”

Goodlet expects the city of Milton to vote on a similar agreement in August.

Milton’s fire department serves part of King County and assesses a lower levy rate. Before Milton can merge with East Pierce, King County residents would have to pay the same levy rate as Pierce County residents.

“I look forward in not being too far behind,” Milton Mayor Katrina Asay said. “We have some details to work out.”

The Edgewood FD was created in 1947 and serves a 10-square-mile area.

District 8 currently employs a fire chief, assistant chief, three career shift captains, nine career firefighters, an office manager and an office assistant. The district also has a Firefighter in Training program consisting of volunteer firefighters.

In 2000, the Bonney Lake Fire Department, Lake Tapps Fire and Pierce County Fire District 24 merged to become East Pierce Fire and Rescue.

South Prairie Fire District 20 and Fire District 12 merged with East Pierce in 2006. Two years later, the Sumner Fire Department and Fire District 1 joined East Pierce.

This will be the third merger for East Pierce since 2006. Currently, East Pierce serves Bonney Lake, Lake Tapps, Sumner, Wilkeson and the Prairie Ridge communities with 11 stations – five fully staffed, five volunteer and one that houses a marine unit.