This fire district is warming up with a solar array!

West Mason Fire District (WMFD) was formed in November 2018 through voter approval to merge two previous Fire Districts, 9 and 16. WMFD provides essential services to the communities of Mason County including structural firefighting, wild-land firefighting, emergency medical response, motor vehicle rescues, flood & technical rescues, and community education. They also have a fire chaplain that serves as a conduit to other mental health or long-term recovery services.

The Olympia Community Solar team supported WMFD by assisting with their request for proposal process, and helping to select South Sound Solar as a trusted installer. Our team also secured a grant from (org) to cover installation costs.

The final solar installation was put in place in 2023 consisting of a 35 kW system, using Washington-made SilFab panels. The guaranteed system production is roughly 35,000 kWh per year. This covers 97% of the building’s electricity, saving the station an estimated $211,792 on electricity bills over the project’s 40 year lifespan. These savings will be a very helpful booster to meet compliance standards and risk management obligations for the health and safety of their firefighters, while alleviating the tax burden for citizens of Mason County.

Special thanks to the West Mason Fire Commission and Fire Chief Matthew Welander, South Sound Solar, Olympia Community Solar, Washington Department of Commerce, and Hammond Foundation.