Benton County Fire District 4 is asking voters to consider a Fire Levy lid lift during the August 4 Primary Election. Funding would be used to hire three additional firefighters to respond to higher call volumes, which have increased almost eight percent a year since 2010. “We need more full-time emergency personnel to respond to higher call volumes,” said Deputy Chief Paul Carlyle. “That’s the nuts and bolts of this request.” The firefighters also would be cross-trained to respond to provide emergency medical service. EMS calls account for more than 60 percent of the Fire District’s call volume. Fire District 4 is a combination department, which means it relies on full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighters to respond to emergency calls. Population growth for the West Richland area has increased to the point where additional full-time emergency personnel are needed. Fire District 4 has been planning for this growth for some time. For example, it’s in the process