East Pierce Fire & Rescue serves more than 75,000 people in Bonney Lake, Sumner, Lake Tapps, the ridge communities, South Prarie and Wilkeson. The district consists of five staffed and six volunteer stations under Fire Chief Jerry Thorson, and covers approximately 142 square miles.
East Pierce is the result of a merger between the City of Bonney Lake Fire Department, Lake Tapps Fire and Pierce County Fire District 24 in 2000. In 2006, Pierce County Fire District 12 and South Prarie Fire District 20 decided to join East Pierce, and Sumner and Pierce County District 1 decided to join in 2008.
In 2008, the 68 career and 45 volunteer firefighters-EMTs and paramedics assigned to the Operations Division responded to 6,690 calls for emergency services, a two percent increase over the previous year.
The Headquarters (Station 11) houses emergency response personnel, in addition to the administrative offices for the District. The Deputy Chief oversees the Operations Division. This Division is split into three shifts, each headed by a Battalion Chief, who works at headquarters.