About the Kennewick Fire Department
The Kennewick Fire Department (KFD) provides emergency and non-emergency services for approximately, 86,470 people occupying 29.8 square miles in Benton County, Washington. Services are currently delivered from five stations that are strategically located across the City of Kennewick. The department provides fire suppression, Basic Life Support and Advanced Life support Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Care and ambulance transport, hazardous materials response, technical rescue response, and fire prevention services. The KFD’s mission is to “Partner with our community to proactively reduce risk and mitigate fire and life safety emergencies for those who live, work, and recreate in and around the City of Kennewick.” In 2023, the department responded to just under 14,000 requests for emergency assistance, averaging nearly 40 calls per day. Of those, just over 70% were EMS requests. This is accomplished with two fire stations that have dedicated fire engine and medic unit staffing, and three fire stations that are cross-staffed. Between 2018 and 2023, the department experienced a 37% increase in demand for emergency services. The department has recently completed a Standard of Cover in an effort to ensure both current and future emergency service needs are met.

About the City of Kennewick and Surrounding Area:
Kennewick is a fast growing community of over 86,000 located along the Columbia River in sunny southeastern Washington. Kennewick is the largest of the Tri-Cities, which have combined population of 258,000, and is a regional shopping and entertainment hub and an outdoor recreational paradise. The confluence of the Snake, Yakima and Columbia Rivers has produced an aquatic playground second to none. The area’s waterways beckon water lovers from all over the region to enjoy sailing, power and pleasure boating, water-skiing, swimming, fishing, windsurfing, and much more. Kennewick is home to the annual Columbia Cup Hydroplane races, one of only 16 unlimited hydroplane race sites in the nation.

We proudly host over 60,000 visitors who come to view the unlimited hydroplanes race for three days of food, fun, and sun! Situated in the “Heart of Washington’s Wine Country” the Tri-City area boasts more than 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius, producing some of the finest wines in the country. The annual Benton-Franklin County Fair and Rodeo showcases National Champion cowboys and bull riders, and brings in country and pop music entertainment stars. Kennewick is also home to the Toyota Center and the Tri-City American WHL ice-hockey team. The Toyota Center offers great sporting and entertainment events throughout the year. Due in part to the area’s exceptional climate, golf is one of the area’s most popular sports. Beautiful courses challenge the most experienced golfer as well as the beginner. It is a very hard winter indeed when a round of golf cannot be played nearly every week of the year. Shopping abounds in Kennewick! The Columbia Center Mall is one of the largest covered malls in Eastern Washington, and Downtown Kennewick is undergoing a revitalization focusing on creating a great gathering place in a comfortable, hometown setting, where merchants and customers are friends and neighbors.

Columbia Basin College and Washington State University Tri-Cities branch campus are located in our neighboring cities of Pasco and Richland. CBC offers a full array of Associate degrees and vocational/technical career programs, while WSU provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Kennewick’s three high schools, four middle schools, and fourteen elementary schools provide a strong academic foundation for our children and their future. The City of Kennewick is proud to be “Building a Better Community” for our citizens.

Kennewick firefighters also receive excellent compensation and benefits:
Competitive compensation – Kennewick firefighters earn $86,000 per year with no experience and $113,000 in their fourth year of employment; paramedics earn an additional $12,000 per year.
Work/life balance – Kennewick firefighters work 108 shifts per year, and new firefighters receive 12 hours of vacation leave per month in additional to paid time off for sick leave.
Health insurance – Kennewick firefighters have low deductible health insurance for themselves and their families and only pay 5% of the cost; the City pays the remaining 95% and provides vision and dental benefits at no cost to employees.
Health and Wellness – Kennewick firefighters have access to fitness facilities in every fire station, and receive one hour per shift to engage in physical fitness while on duty.
Retirement benefits – Kennewick firefighters participate in the Washington State LEOFF retirement/pension system, and the City provides an additional 5% of employee wages into retirement accounts with no match required.
Professional development – Kennewick firefighters receive rigorous on-the-job training and professional development and have the opportunity to train to become company officers.
Specialty Team Assignments – The Kennewick Fire Department has three (3) specialty teams Firefighters also have opportunities to be trained as HazMat Technicians and be assigned to the HazMat team; trained as Rescue Technicians and be assigned to the Technical Rescue Team; or trained as SCBA Technicians, all who receive specialty pay equivalent to 1% of Step 4 firefighter while assigned as a team trainee, 2.1% of Step 4 firefighter while assigned as a full team member, and 4.1% of Step 4 firefighter as the team lead.