PULLMAN, WA – Pullman Firefighters responded to a kitchen fire around 7:30 p.m. Saturday on Staley Drive, with additional staffing playing a key role in the outcome.

According to the department, fire stations were staffed with 10 firefighters instead of the usual 8 due to the National Lentil Festival. In addition, firefighters assigned to the festival were able to respond directly, bringing 13 personnel to the scene within eight minutes of the alarm.

The department noted this brought the response closer to the National Fire Protection Association’s standard of 15 firefighters on scene for a structure fire. Officials said the increased staffing allowed for safer and more efficient operations, minimizing property damage and ensuring the safety of those involved.

Whitman County Rural Fire District 12 also assisted by staffing its stations to cover the city while Pullman Firefighters handled the call.

“This incident is a clear example of why adequate staffing levels matter for firefighter and community safety,” the department said in a statement.