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Mission Statement

The objectives of this Division shall be to further enhance the education of all Fire Service Administrative Support by conducting workshops and seminars; to increase the proficiency of Fire Administrative Support by establishing a network sharing of information systems through various channels of communication; and to faciliate a statewide standardization wherever possible in all phases and aspects of the Fire Administrative Support field for the benefit of the Fire Service.

Recent Fire Administrative Support News

Posted: Oct 20, 2020
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Greetings all~

At the yearly business meeting of the WFAS, usually a part of the annual conference, 2020 elections were held. Two Regional Representative terms were up this year along with that of the Secretary and Chair. Cathy Blakeway, Tumwater Fire, will continue to serve as a Regional Rep and Tasiya Deering, Moses Lake Fire, was reelected to the position of Secretary. Kristen Cole chose not to run again for the Regional Rep position she has held but has opted to remain on the board as the Hospitality/Activity committee chair. Slita Bradley, Benton County Fire District 4, was chosen to fill that Regional Rep position. Caity Karapostoles, Clallam County Fire District 3, was elected to serve for the next two years as Chairman when Mykel Montgomery stepped down. Mykel will stay on the board as Past Chair, allowing her to help deliver the 2021 WFAS Conference in Chelan postponed from October 2020. A huge shout out to everyone for stepping up to run for positions on the board and to volunteer on the various committees, along with everyone who continues to serve as board/committee members. It takes all of us to create and maintain the valuable network that is the WFAS! And along those lines, the Vice Chair position is open if you or someone you know is interested, please let me know as soon as possible. In keeping with our policies and procedures, the vacancy will be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board at our next meeting. The person chosen will serve until the next election at the 2021 WFAS Conference,

In lieu of this year’s conference and workshops, a number of webinars are being planned for our group. Check the website and the group’s Facebook page for more information as it comes available.

Please feel free to contact me or any of the other board/committee members, if there is anything we can help you with. I welcome comments, concerns and suggestions!

Take care and stay safe.

As always,

Caity K

WFAS Chair

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Posted: Apr 21, 2020
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Wednesday April 22nd

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Posted: Jun 27, 2018
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 A recording of the hour long webinar How to Apply for a Local Records Grant is now available at Washington State Archives’ website at:

 https://www.sos.wa.gov/archives/RecordsManagement/Local-Records-Grant-Program.aspx

 

The Online Grant Application form will be available on July 2, 2018.

If anyone has questions or would like assistance in planning and preparing their application, please email recordsmanagement@sos.wa.gov.

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Posted: Apr 25, 2018
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On behalf of your Washington Fire Administrative Support (WFAS) Board and Committee Members, we would like to acknowledge your hard work, dedication and commitment to the fire service and the work that you do. We all play an integral part in the departments we work for and the communities we serve, but perhaps don’t always get the acknowledgement that goes along with it. I hope everyone feels valued for their efforts and feels the support of your network of peers within the WFAS Section. Enjoy your day and I am so excited to see 96 of you in Walla Walla at our annual conference next week!

 

Ashley Becker, WFAS Section Chair

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Posted: Apr 2, 2018
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In accordance with the Washington Fire Chiefs' Bylaws, and the WFC Fire Administrative Support current Protocols, the recommended updated version of the protocols has been posted 30 days before conference

If you would like to see a version noting all of the changes, that document is shown as well. Feel free to share any concerns or comments regarding this updated document with us at: wfc@washingtonfirechiefs.org 

The updated protocols will be voted on by members at the WFAS conference in Walla Walla, Washington on Monday, May 7th.

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Posted: Feb 21, 2018
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Nominations need to be submitted to the WFC office by Friday, April 20, 2018 to kathleen@washingtonfirechiefs.org.

  • Nominee can be nominated by any WFC member, belonging to any WFC Section – please include: nominees name, position title, years of service;
  • The nominee must be a current member of the WFAS;
  • Nomination should list the nominee’s administrative accomplishments and contributions during the previous year as well as their leadership abilities, demonstration of professional performance and personal character.  A short story should be submitted to enhance the nominee’s accomplishments.
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Posted: Aug 8, 2017
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We currently have an opening on the WFAS Executive Board for an Eastern Representative, partial term, to serve through May 2018 (until the conference in which an election will take place for a two-year term).

 

Please submit a Statement of Interest to abecker@centralpiercefire.org, no later than Tuesday, August 15, for consideration at our upcoming Board Meeting in Walla Walla.

 

Feel free to reference the WFAS Board Campaign on the website for more information on Board involvement or reach out to a Board Member.

 

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Posted: Apr 26, 2017
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On behalf of the WFAS Board, we would like to thank you for your endless dedication to the fire service and your commitment to learn and grow.

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Posted: Apr 6, 2017
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In accordance with the Washington Fire Chiefs' Bylaws, and the WFC Fire Administrative Support current Protocols, the recommended updated version of the protocols has been posted 30 days before conference

If you would like to see a version noting all of the changes, please contact us. Feel free to share any concerns or comments regarding this updated document with us at: wfc@washingtonfirechiefs.org 

The updated protocols will be voted on by members at the WFAS conference in Olympia, Washington.

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Posted: Jan 31, 2017
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Nominations need to be submitted to the WFC office by Friday, April 28th of this year, 2017.

  • Nominee can be nominated by any WFC member, belonging to any WFC Section – please include: nominees name, position title, years of service;
  • The nominee must be a current member of the WFAS;
  • Nomination should list the nominee’s administrative accomplishments and contributions during the previous year as well as their leadership abilities, demonstration of professional performance and personal character.  A short story should be submitted to enhance the nominee’s accomplishments.

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FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SECTION UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Events

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FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT BOARD & COMMITTEES

Painless Cost Cutting

By Robert Tutterow

Is there such a thing as painless cost cutting? Yes. And, it has to do with the operating costs of fire stations. Granted, the cost reductions may not be big savings over a short period of time, but over the lifespan of a fire station the costs are fairly significant. Consider the following "average" building initial and ongoing lifespan costs as determined by Thomas Dolan Planning and Management. The initial costs are broken down as follows: land costs are less than one percent; design is one percent; construction is 20 percent; and original furnishings are six percent. The ongoing costs are broken down as follows: replacement furnishings are four percent; operations and utilities are 16 percent; maintenance is 29 percent; and interest on construction loans is 24 percent. The ongoing costs for a fire station are higher than an average building if it is occupied 24/7. There are several ways to reduce ongoing costs and direct the funds toward items that have a direct and positive impact on service delivery and, most importantly, firefighter safety.

Turning Green

The fire service has always paid attention to building construction, and the green building movement is no exception. We often think that green only applies to new construction. However, there are several elements of green that can be applied to existing stations. At last year's annual F.I.E.R.O. Fire Station Symposium, Keith Pehl with Optima Engineering and Ken Newell with Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects gave a presentation titled "Reducing Operating Costs and Maintaining Your Existing Station-Practical Sustainability." In their presentation, they reported that green buildings can reduce energy use from 24 to 50 percent, CO2 emissions from 33 to 39 percent, water use by 40 percent, and solid waste by 70 percent. In addition to the economic benefits of green buildings to a department's community, green buildings show that the fire department is being socially responsible and good stewards of the environment.

The need to control fire station utility costs will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. For example, electricity costs have increased 22 percent in the past ten years and natural gas costs have increased 100 percent. Most utility companies estimate an average increase of four percent annually for the next 10 years. And, the Carbon Cap and Trade legislation is estimated to create an overnight increase of 20 percent on energy costs. Do the math. Are these costs that the fire service should continue to absorb without any attempt to manage them?

There are additional benefits for green buildings. They provide for a healthier environment for firefighters. There is a tremendous improvement in air quality. Green buildings do a better job of controlling temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates. This leads to less likelihood for mold and mildew growth.

Sustainable Measures

What are other "sustainable" measures that fire departments can take to minimize the lifespan costs of their stations? If a new station is being planned, it is imperative that the design incorporate expansion plans. This includes additional apparatus bay space; additional dormitory space; additional office space; and maybe, most importantly, additional storage space.

Material selection is a primary consideration in long-term sustainability. Base material selection on durability and low maintenance. Do not forget exterior materials. For parking and drive areas, there are light duty materials and heavy duty materials. Areas for fire apparatus and other heavy vehicles must use heavy duty materials-i.e., properly installed reinforced concrete or pavers. Driveway and parking areas for light vehicles can use light duty materials such as asphalt. Departments should take measures to restrict access to the light duty surface areas by heavy vehicles.

Landscaping around a fire station is problematic in most situations. Firefighters do not care to spend their time mowing grass and taking care of plantings-nor should they. It is not a part of service delivery. Nonetheless, a fire station should blend well with the community, and its curb appeal should be in the upper quadrant of curb appeal in relation to surrounding properties. Natural areas will minimize mowing. Often landscape professionals will offer free consultation to a fire department on plantings that require minimal maintenance.


ROBERT TUTTEROW retired as safety coordinator for the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department and is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment editorial board. His 34-year career includes 10 as a volunteer. He has been active in the National Fire Protection Association through service on the Fire Service Section Executive Board and technical committees involved with safety, apparatus, and personal protective equipment. He is a founding member and president of the Fire Industry Equipment Research Organization (F.I.E.R.O.).

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Posted: Oct 2, 2013,
Categories: Fire Mechanics,
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