NKF&R station decision put on hold

"Kitsap County Commissioners postponed making a decision this week on the appeal made by Tulin Rd. residents regarding the location of a new NKF&R satellite fire station on S. Kingston Rd. Following further review of the Kitsap County hearing examiner's decision, the commissioners plan to make a judgement at next week's meeting. We had to take a stand for safety, Chris Plummer told the commissioners during their regular meeting Monday. Plummer, who has lived on Tulin Road for more than 20 years, says it is unsuitable for fire and emergency vehicles. We really don't want our tax money to be used to put our lives in jeopardy, she said. She and a group of Tulin Road residents filed an appeal June 27 against the hearing examiner's approval of the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue's site for a new fire station. The site is located on South Kingston Road near the water tower and would serve Jefferson Beach and Indianola. Tulin Road residents are concerned that the road would be used as the main thoroughfare to access Jefferson Point and Jefferson Beach areas. They are urging commissioners to reopen the site selection process for the station. NKF&R officials say they are already using the road on emergency calls and have had no problems. NKF&R Chief Paul Nichol told the commissioners the road is safe and was used more than 50 times last year for calls. Of those calls, 15 were non-emergency and five were calls to Tulin Road. NKF&R receives about 2,000 calls a year. The fire station would be 5,418 square feet with five sleeping quarters and three apparatus bays. In other business, County Commissioners approved $20 million in bonds for the expansion of the Kitsap County Jail. "

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