Beginning Jan. 1, the SeaTac Fire Department joined the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority under a 20 year contract.

The contract completes a consolidation process which began in 2011. At that time an interlocal agreement between the SeaTac Fire Department and Kent Fire Department RFA provided the following services to the City of SeaTac:

• Chief Administration

• Emergency Management

• Fire Prevention

• Fire Investigation

• Training

Beginning in 2014, all emergency services are included in the contract, including emergency response. The combined fire department will operate under the name Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority.

Personnel will wear Kent Fire Department RFA uniforms, though all emergency apparatus will keep their current logos on them. The new department will protect approximately 50 square miles, including the cities of Kent, SeaTac, Covington, and King County Fire District 37 with 11 fire stations and over 200 firefighters.

On a day-to-day basis, there will be very little change. Both departments are self-funding.