During a regular Yelm City Council study session last week, communications officer Joyce Willms and commissioner Jeff Dehan, both with Southeast Thurston Fire Authority, presented to the council their intent to apply for a $900,000 capital facilities grant from the state and asked for the support of the council.
“The citizens of Yelm deserve emergency medical services and fire protection 24/7,” Fire Chief Mark King wrote in a letter to the council. “The population of Yelm is over 9,000 and still growing. The Yelm schools have over 5,900 students in attendance. We are asking you, mayor and city council members, to endorse the grant to remodel the fire station at Lake Lawrence.”
If the department is successful with its grant application, the funds will be used to reopen the Lake Lawrence fire station, which is currently out of commission and unable to house any firefighters.