SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Valley Fire department will not lose a single firefighter due to the state’s vaccination mandate. But the city of Spokane is expecting to lose dozens. So we asked the city of Spokane why it cannot make accommodations that would prevent losing dozens of firefighters.
Last week, the city of Spokane reported it could lose 48 firefighters due to the state’s vaccination mandate. On Tuesday, that total dropped to 38 firefighters after ten withdrew their exemption requests.
Spokane is offering six accommodations, which offer different levels of benefits, paid time off and pathways back to employment if the employee chooses. But either way, all six accommodations result in either the employee getting vaccinated or leaving their job.
“There were numerous meetings over several weeks to discuss this, numerous points were made back and forth," Spokane City spokesperson Brian Coddington said. "There was plenty of discussion that went on.”
But the Spokane Valley Fire department found a way to accommodate its 22 exempt fire personnel without losing a single employee. The department is offering to reassign exempt personnel to a different station within the department, require daily COIVD-19 testing and require N95 to be worn while on duty.
When asked why the city of Spokane cannot offer the same accommodations, Coddington said its volume of exemption requests is the biggest factor.
"The number of firefighters that we got requesting exemptions, it's a sixth of the department," Coddington said. "I know there's been comparison with other departments around the state. Other departments, that I'm aware of, have not had that volume of requests for exemptions that we've had.”
To be clear, the city of Spokane had 52 total exemption requests submitted and approved. Spokane Valley had 22.
Spokane Firefighters Union President Tim Archer said the accommodations Spokane Valley fire are offering are reasonable. He told KREM 2 he does not understand why it is difficult for Spokane to make accommodations that would prevent losing dozens of firefighters.
"Because the accommodations are being used as we speak," Archer said. "There are unvaccinated firefighters working right now. I am one of the folks with approved religious exemption and my last shift is this Friday.”
Even though the Spokane continues to discuss options with its firefighters and their union, Coddington said it’s unlikely the accommodations will change.