Public Safety | Key Peninsula News

Assistant Fire Chief Hal Wolverton’s last day on the job is March 31.

Assistant Fire Chief Hal Wolverton Retires After 33 Years

After 33 years with KP Fire District 16, Assistant Fire Chief Hal Wolverton, 59, will retire March 31. more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 3/29/23

Frequency of accidents on KP roadways from 2017-2022.

Meet the Most Accident-prone Stretches of SR 302 and the KP Highway

Everyone has experienced it. Aggressive drivers. Tailgaters. Swervers. Shoulder and solid-line passers. Defensive driving is an essential skill on the Key Peninsula. It encourages drivers to … more

Eddie Macsalka, KP News | 3/29/23

Penrose Point State Park Closed Until May for Septic Repairs

All day-use areas, trails, and camping at Penrose Point State Park have been closed since Jan. 15 for sewage system repairs and upgrades, according to the Washington State Parks and Recreation … more

Staff Report | 3/1/23

KPFD Terminates Calahan Property Lease

Key Peninsula Fire District 16 terminated the lease agreement for the commercial Calahan property (formerly O’Callahan’s, Buck’s and Reed’s) at the corner of KP Highway NW and … more

Staff Report | 3/1/23

KPFD Chief Swinhart looks to the screen as he presents his report to fire commissioners at the December 13 meeting.

KPFD Approves 2023 Budget Amid Questions on Property Purchases, Spending

The Key Peninsula board of fire commissioners voted 4-0 to approve its 2023 budget for Fire District 16 at its November 22 meeting. The fifth commissioner had an excused … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 12/28/22

KPFD Key Center Property Purchase Update and Possible Outcomes

The Key Peninsula Fire Department had been contemplating replacement of Station 46, its district headquarters, for some years without a specific plan when three real estate parcels in Key Center came … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 12/28/22

SR-302 and SR-16 culvert replacement projects on Purdy Creek.

Delayed SR-302-Purdy Culvert Replacement

The Washington State Department of Transportation announced November 15 that a culvert replacement beneath the State Route 302 spur on Purdy Drive, south of 144th Street NW, has been … more

Staff Report | 11/30/22

KPFD says it responds on average to six or seven calls in a 24-hour period, often with multiple units.

KPFD Closes Budget Gap, Considers Key Center Property Plans and Gathering Public Input

Key Peninsula Fire District 16 has closed an anticipated year-end budget gap and is making slow progress developing plans for the Key Center real estate it acquired at the end of last year, according … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 10/27/22

Traffic fatalities by year in Pierce County.

A Little More Traffic Causes Lots More Accidents

Traffic volume on the Key Peninsula has increased at a relatively low rate in recent years despite appearances more

Staff Report | 8/31/22

Traffic Woes on SR-302, with More to Come

The Washington State Department of Transportation began work to replace two culverts at the end of July under State Route 302 on Little Minter Creek … more

Staff Report | 8/31/22

Executive Assistant Christina Bosch’s last day at work is August 13.

KPFD Fixture Christina Bosch Moves On

She served six fire chiefs and even more fire commissioners through good times and bad for the KP fire district — and herself — helping to build an accounting system and plan budgets … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 7/27/22

Roundabout Ahead for Rural KP Highway at Lackey Road

Following countless near misses, fender benders and more serious collisions, the Pierce County Department of Planning and Public Works recently announced its plan to develop a roundabout design to … more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 7/27/22

Emergency medical response density map January to July 2022.

KP Fire Department Confronts Budget and Real Estate Issues

Two months into his tenure, KP Fire Chief Nick Swinhart told Key Peninsula News the biggest challenges his department faces include balancing the budget and developing a capital facilities plan to … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 7/27/22

New Longbranch Pumpout Station Delayed Indefinitely

Plans to build a pumpout station at the Longbranch Marina, designed to give boaters a way to empty their sewage tanks, was halted by an unexpected permitting roadblock because of a shared well that … more

Chris Rurik, KP News | 6/1/22

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

4/26/22

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

Ted Olinger, KP News | 4/26/22

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

Ted Olinger, KP News | 4/26/22

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

Staff Report | 3/31/22

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

Ted Olinger, KP News | 3/31/22

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

Ted Olinger, KP News | 3/23/22