SOAP LAKE - Less than a year after deciding to try and rebuild the fire department, the City of Soap Lake is again exploring options to contract fire and EMS services, left with no other options.

Although the department showed improvements earlier this year after the city decided against contracting with Grant County Fire District 7, the current status of the department is well below standards at almost any measurement.

"Whether looking at the six volunteers who do not even have the most basic of fire fighting training completed, or looking at the outdated personal firefighter gear, or major equipment like engines and hoses that are not up to full operational capabilities or requirements," Soap Lake Mayor Raymond Gravelle said. He requested council's permission to explore options to contract with another department, likely District 7.

With new standards to the state's Administrative Code beginning Jan. 1, it would cost the city about $33,000 to be up to code, Gravelle said. The city is also due for a state audit and already with a Class 7 fire rating, the city is at risk of that rating bumping up to an eight or nine. The classes are rated from 1-10, with one indicating exemplary fire protection capabilities and 10 indicating the capabilities, if any are insufficient for insurance credit, according to the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau that sets the standards.

Gravelle said a higher rating could be costly for citizens in terms of fire insurance premiums.

"The time has come for Soap Lake to contract its fire and EMT services with a fully operational agency that meets the WAC codes and can better protect our city," Gravelle said.

The department would also need to update its policies and procedures by the start of 2014, Interim Fire Chief Debbie Bowen said.

Early last year, the council considered contracting with District 7 at a cost of about $44,000 each year, about the same as running the city's department each year.

A new fire chief, Dan Shields, was hired in January and given 60 days to improve the department. Shields was able to do that, increasing the number of volunteers from six to 17 in March, as well as reorganizing the fire station and repairing equipment, according to a previous story from the Columbia Basin Herald.

Shields was fired in July, and many of the volunteers decided to leave the department in support for the chief.

The department is back to just six volunteers, and Bowen said only about two or three actually show up for calls for service.

"That's not safe for us and it's not safe for the community," she said.

There was also concerns several fire hydrants throughout the city would not be operational if needed for a call.

The city has struggle to find a permanent fire chief since Shields was terminated and Bowen submitted her resignation two months ago because of health reasons.

With a restricted budget for the fire department, Gravelle said contracting with a "well-kept" department is the best option, pointing out District 7 has a budget of about $211,000 for next year.

City Attorney Katherine Kenison said the city has several options, including contracting with another department or annexing into the fire district. If annexation occurred, the city would have no local control and would give up the option of reinstituting the department in the future, Kenison said.

A new option for Grant County would be to create a regional fire district with neighboring departments.