“I’ll never forget the date – January 5, 1959,” said Sherrie Evans, treasurer of the Black Diamond Historical Society. “There was a massive two-story Presbyterian church that caught fire. The embers were so big they went all the way down to Morganville, we were afraid we would lose the whole town.”
Black Diamond lost a lot of buildings to fire in its early years, when fires were fought using a hand drawn horse cart (on display at the Historical Museum) and volunteers. “You were lucky if you even had a hose at home,” Evans said.
The city’s first fire truck was acquired in 1947, and the first fire station was built on Baker St. in 1952. For many years, it was staffed by volunteer firefighters. “It was a big deal,” said Evans. “There was tremendous support, and the people that volunteered were the town’s stakeholders and very involved.”
However, with legal issues,the demands of advanced training, work schedules and a growing population, the city no longer had enough volunteers.
In 2006, Black Diamond contracted with Mountain View Fire and Rescue (District #44) to provide full-time career firefighters to cover the city and the lake on a permanent schedule. Residents say that Mountain View doesn’t just fight fires – they have become friends and neighbors. ‘They have supported the community center, they take blood pressures and have offered first aid training,” said resident Susie Dal Santo. “We really appreciate them!”
Two new fire stations have replaced the original Baker St. station – Lake Sawyer, which officially opened on August 2, 2023, and Lawson Hills, which broke ground that same day and was completed in 2024, but remains unstaffed.
Looking To The Past
Working with Black Diamond City, the Black Diamond Historical Society has received a state legislative grant to repurpose the abandoned Baker St. Fire Station as a First Responders Museum. A new roof has already been installed, and other improvements will include doors for viewing the fire truck, electrical updates, and an ADA restroom.
“We are hopeful to use it as a museum in 2027,” Evans said. “We will be looking for photos and equipment to display that prior volunteers or community members may wish to donate to the museum.”
Looking To The Future
Black Diamond’s future fire service hinges on an August 4, 2026 voter decision about annexing into the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority. If voters approve annexation, the regional authority would take over fire and emergency medical services on January 1, 2028, funded through a new property tax plus a property-specific fire benefit charge. Nearby communities have already annexed into Puget Sound Regional, including Covington, Kent, Maple Valley, SeaTac, and Tukwila.
Proponents say that annexation will shorten response time and allow full staffing of the Lawson Hills station, which has been unoccupied since construction in 2024. Black Diamond would gain two seats on the PSRFA Governance Board, and transfer all city-owned fire and EMS assets directly to Puget Sound Regional Fire authority. Opponents are concerned that the high upfront costs for businesses could deter development.
If annexation fails, Black Diamond will need to secure emergency services coverage before January 1, 2028, when the current MVFS contract expires. Mountain View has determined the existing flat-fee funding model no longer covers its true costs of service, so costs would go up even if Black Diamond were able to continue contracting with them.
Whether or not the annexation is approved, fire services will need to change to keep pace with the city’s growth. “We live in a different world today and there are a lot of good things about it,” Evans said. “We can’t stay stagnant, we need fire services and equipment and people who are well-trained.”
–For more information on early Black Diamond Fires, visit the Historical Society article entitled Fire department and its 1947 Ford
