Firefighter staffing stirs fair dispute

Seven firefighters will staff the Spokane County Interstate Fair this year, helping fairgoers with bee stings, twisted ankles, heart attacks and other ailments.

Valley Fire’s decision to more than double its typical fair crew of three firefighters has upset a volunteer group which also staffs the fair with medical personnel. An Inland Empire Emergency Services Association spokesman has accused union firefighters of using the fair to get overtime pay.

“It’s a cost to taxpayers,” said Ralph Day, a public information officer for IEESA.

Valley Fire officials deny that overtime pay was behind the decision and say they doubt the extra effort will cost more than $10,000. Valley Fire has primary jurisdiction over the fairgrounds and needs to have a strong presence there, said Valley Fire Chief Mark Grover.

The fair – held along the western edge of Spokane Valley – starts Friday. Last year, more than 200,000 people attended the nine-day event. Neither group gets paid to staff the fair.

Dolly Hughes, the director of the fair, said she has refused to allow a turf war over the issue. She thinks the extra Valley firefighters will mean the “best coverage we’ve ever had at the fair.”

IEESA expects to have approximately a half-dozen volunteers at the fair each day.

“We feel fortunate to have two groups of people who can react to the medical needs of the community,” Hughes said.

All IEESA volunteers have at least emergency medical technician status, Day said. Some are retired firefighters or emergency room personnel who belong to IEESA as a way to give back to the community, Day said. IEESA also staffs some high school sporting events and has a first aid tent at Bloomsday.

While four of the Valley Fire commissioners approved sending extra staff to the fair, Commissioner Ron Schmidt said he opposed the move. Schmidt said it doesn’t make sense for Valley Fire to pay overtime for a service IEESA will do for free.

There could be some overtime costs, Grover said. Valley Fire will make sure that one of the firefighters is also a paramedic, Grover said, and will pay overtime if needed to ensure that happens.

“I just think we need to have a very visible presence there,” said Valley Fire commissioner Joe Dawson. “I think this is money well spent. It gives us credibility.”

One crew of three firefighters could leave the fair if there’s an emergency elsewhere in the Valley. The other four firefighters will remain at the fair. They’ll come from fire stations that have extra staff due to recent hiring, Grover said, minimizing the need for overtime. Valley Fire plans to open a new fire station and two medic houses later this month.

Schmidt said the claim that it won’t cost much money is a “smoke screen.”

“It’s going to cost the department money,” Schmidt said. “I’m just against spending money recklessly.”