The Bainbridge Island Fire Department Board of Commissioners approved a new Interlocal Agreement Aug. 13 with the city of BI, which allows the department to be reimbursed for additional staffing during the Eagle Harbor Drive closure.

BIFD began increasing staff July 16, coinciding with the road closure. The agreement allows the department to increase staffing from nine responders during a 24-hour shift to 11 responders, which will allow for an additional unit available 24 hours a day for a total of five fully staffed units, per city documents.

“We have seen improved communication since the discourse on Eagle Harbor. But the process needs to be formalized, and we need to see consistent results over time to be able to gain confidence in that process,” BIFD fire chief Jared Moravec said.

The agreement will allow both BIFD and the city to maintain strong emergency response coverage during the closure, city communications coordinator Shannon Hays wrote in an email.

The contract is slated through Sept. 30 and any extension would need to be approved by both the city and fire department, Moravec said. Once the road is reopened, BIFD will submit an accounting of the staffing costs to the city.

“BIFD is very appreciative of the city stepping up to help mitigate the staffing impacts that the closure has had on the fire department. The city manager and I have had very productive communication on the ongoing status of the project, and we are working together to ensure a reliable process is in place for collaborating on future projects where emergency services may be impacted,” Moravec said.