Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The inquiry into the possible creation of a super fire department along the I-5 corridor in the northern half of Lewis County is moving forward with leaders in the Twin Cities joining four fire departments in their talks.

Photo by Maleah Heldreth

Representatives from the cities of Chehalis and Centralia will meet again Nov. 17 with the fire protection agencies in their cities, rural Chehalis and the Napavine area, according to fire Lt. Laura Hanson.

They gathered Wednesday evening and identified committee members, agreed on a mission statement and set ground rules for the exploration, Hanson, of the Napavine area’s Lewis County Fire District 5, said in a news release.

Last month, Chehalis Fire Department Capt. Casey Beck, who is president of the IAFF Local 2510 representing his department’s union members, said they owe it to the citizens to at least consider the options. He said frontline firefighters seemed interested.

The reason for looking at combining jurisdictions is hope for a more cost effective way to serve the citizens, according to Beck.

Next, the multi-jurisdictional planning committee will look at statutory requirements and identify potential alternatives for delivery of fire and aid services, according to Hanson.

The agencies involved are Riverside Fire Authority, the Chehalis Fire Department, Lewis County Fire District 6 and Lewis County Fire District 5.

Riverside Fire Authority was created in January 2008 from the merging of the Centralia Fire Department and its neighboring rural Fire District 12. The consolidation was finalized with approval from voters but exploratory talks dated back to 2002.

The new committee made their mission statement public on Thursday. It is as follows:

“The mission of this multi-jurisdictional planning committee will be to evaluate each of the participating entities on an equal and unbiased format, assessing opportunities for improvements, and formulating recommendations for the elected officials to present to community stakeholders for consideration in combining jurisdictions as allowed for by RCW.”

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A women was pinned under a vehicle in the Capitol Forest when she was sitting on the passenger window sill and the vehicle hit a stump and rolled onto its right side yesterday.

Troopers called about 4:30 a.m. yesterday to an unpaved trail near the D4000 line reported Jamie L. Voight, 31, of Gig Harbor, was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.

The driver, David W. Guritz, 32, and a 15-year-old passenger Trevor L. Bartley, both of Olympia, were unhurt, according to the Washington State Patrol. None of the occupants were wearing seatbelts.

The 2005 Chevrolet 1500 sustained an estimated $4,000 damage and was impounded.

The accident is under investigation, but troopers report drugs or alcohol were involved.

The front of the Pontiac Sunfire. / Courtesy photo Washington State Patrol.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The state patrol estimates a 45-year-old woman was driving more than 100 mph when she ran into a utility pole and died overnight in Rochester.

Troopers called at midnight to 183rd Street Southwest near Empire Street reported that Carla A. Whitaker, of Rochester, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Whitaker was traveling westbound when her 2002 Pontiac Sunfire left the road for unknown reasons, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The collision so severe, the vehicle broke into two pieces which came to rest more than 150 feet apart, according to the patrol.

There was no indication she was wearing a seatbelt and it’s not known if drugs or alcohol were involved, according to the investigating trooper.

The rear of the Pontiac Sunfire. / Courtesy photo Washington State Patrol.