PORT ANGELES — Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue has hired two, new full-time firefighters. It will help staff the district’s west-end response.

Firefighter/paramedic Erik Sundin and Firefighter/EMT Elizabeth Hagaman started work on Tuesday. Their positions are being funded by a levy lid lift approved by voters last summer.

Chief Jake Patterson says one of the goals with the increased funding was to improve response and staffing for the west end of the district.

“The demographics of our fire district is that we surround the city of Port Angeles. So, we really have two distinct sides. We have the east side and the Gales Addition area, and then the west side in the Dry Creek area.  And so we only have one ambulance staffed every day with full-time firefighters in the restroom volunteer responders from home or work. And so that created along over a lot of long response times as we drove through the city of Port Angeles to get to the western side.”

Patterson says the levy lid lift of $.50 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation will also be used to establish a vehicle and equipment replacement fund.

As for the new hires, Elizabeth Hagaman is originally from the Sequim area and she currently lives with her husband Nathan in Port Angeles.  She has been a volunteer firefighter/EMT with Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue since 2017.  Erik Sundin is originally from Bothell and has lived in Sequim since 2003. He has worked with Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue as a part-time firefighter/paramedic since 2019.