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Letter from KPFD Volunteers
It is important for the public to understand why Key Peninsula volunteer firefighters have been outspoken at recent board of commissioner meetings. Volunteers are all citizens who live on the Key … more
Key Peninsula Fire Department Hires New Chief
Dominick “Nick” Swinhart was hired as the new chief for KP Fire District 16 by the board of fire commissioners at their biweekly meeting April 12. He will start the job May 16, succeeding … more
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Meet the New Boss
Nick Swinhart grew up in Montesano. “As a paid firefighter I started in Raymond in 1992, but I started before that in 1989 as a volunteer in Grays Harbor. Most of my career was spent at the … more
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Lt. Dave Vezzani ready to climb.
Local Firefighters Climb for a Cure
Three KPFD firefighters donned full gear and climbed all 69 floors of the Columbia Center Tower in Seattle March 13 to raise funds for blood cancer research and patient services. The 31st annual … more
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Road Rage in the Time of COVID-19
Traffic fatalities across the U.S. increased 12% in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, the largest annual rise since 1975 according to an October 2021 study from the … more
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Assistant Fire Chief Wolverton Exonerated, Returned to Duty
Assistant Fire Chief Hal Wolverton was returned to duty by the Key Peninsula Board of Fire Commissioners 14 weeks after it placed him on paid administrative leave during a third party investigation … more
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Reenacting a 19th-century tradition, KPFD personnel perform the “push-in” ceremony with a new ambulance at Longbranch station in February. In the 1800s, horses were unharnessed after returning a fire wagon to its station and firefighters pushed it into the bay.
KPFD Confronts Budget Crunch and Skeptical Residents
The bimonthly Key Peninsula fire commission meetings have been unusually well attended since the public first learned the fire district bought $2.125 million worth of Key Center real estate at the … more
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Groups Address Crime on the Key Peninsula
Ongoing concerns about property crime and car thefts on the Key Peninsula came to a head in January when an alleged car thief was shot by a 70-year old SUV owner in Wauna. The incident, still under … more
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The 1975 HQ may be replaced in coming years.
Fire Commissioners Defend Real Estate Deal, Consider Plans for Development
At its biweekly meeting Jan. 11, the Key Peninsula Fire District board of commissioners heard a proposal for development of the $2.125 million worth of Key Center real estate it purchased in November … more
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Interim Chief Jason Learned with Robert Bosch and Adam Morse.
Interim Fire Dept. Leaders Address Changes, Challenges, Morale
The Key Peninsula Fire Department experienced several significant changes at the end of 2021. Fire Chief Dustin Morrow left to become chief at Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Dec. 1; his interim … more
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Covid on the Key
After a dramatic rise in cases last summer with the delta variant, COVID-19 cases gradually fell on the Key Peninsula until the arrival of the holidays and omicron.  The average daily case … more
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County Homeless Point-In-Time Count Seeks Volunteers
Pierce County is seeking volunteers for its 2022 Homeless Point-In-Time Count Jan. 27 and 28. According to the county, the PIT count provides data to review trends, plan programs and gather … more
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Jason Learned was named interim fire chief.
KPFD Rejects ILA with Morrow, Approves New Chief Search, Puts Interim Chief Wolverton on Leave
The Key Peninsula Fire District board of fire commissioners unexpectedly voted to put Assistant Fire Chief Hal Wolverton on paid administrative leave during its biweekly meeting Dec. … more
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KPFD now owns the Olson estate home, part of the pasture behind it, and the former O’Callahan’s property on the corner but building new facilities there will take years, and perhaps a public vote.
KPFD Buys Second Key Center Real Estate Parcel
The Key Peninsula Fire District closed on its second piece of Key Center real estate Dec. 15, agreeing to pay $1.2 million for the property known historically as the Olson estate: the residence … more
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KP Property Crime Update
There is a strong feeling among residents that property crime rates are rising on the Key Peninsula and that law enforcement appears to be unwilling or unable to apprehend and detain suspects. … more
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KPFD Rejects ILA with Morrow, Approves New Chief Search, Puts Interim Chief Wolverton on Leave
The Key Peninsula Fire District board of fire commissioners unexpectedly voted to put Assistant Fire Chief Hal Wolverton on paid administrative leave during its biweekly meeting Dec. 14. more
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Interim Fire Chief Appointed as District Faces Major Expansion Decisions
Pierce County Fire District 16 Board of Commissioners appointed Assistant Chief Hal Wolverton interim fire chief for Key Peninsula Fire Department. more
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The KP and the Chronically Homeless
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Pierce County increased 37% between 2015 and 2021, according to the county's Homeless Point-in-Time Count survey conducted last January. The … more
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KPFD Chief Poised to Leave for Central Pierce Fire & Rescue
Key Peninsula Fire Department Chief Dustin Morrow has applied for the job of chief at Central Pierce Fire & Rescue in Puyallup, the largest fire district in the county. He advanced to the last … more
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The peaceful community of Home was upset by erratic disturbances.
Local Man Arrested After Tensions Erupt in Home Neighborhood
Michael Kotas, 46, of Lakebay was arrested July 22 for second-degree assault on a Home community resident. A hearing Aug. 8 to determine whether Kotas is competent to stand trial was continued to Sept. 27 and he was ordered held in Pierce County Jail. more
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