The problem was the Lakewood and University Place Fire Department merged into one organization, West Pierce Fire and Rescue (WPFR), but the cultures of these two organizations have not been fully blended. The purpose of the research was to identify strategies for blending these two cultures together to form a new culture which represents WPFR.The descriptive research method was used in this study to answer the following questions: (a) How has private industry dealt with culture changes during a merger; (b) What have fire service organizations done to blend cultures after a merger; (c) How do the senior officers at West Pierce Fire and Rescue view the cultural changes due to the merger; and (d) What do employees of West Pierce Fire and Rescue think about the cultural changes since the merger? The procedures included a literature review, several interviews were conducted and a questionnaire of West Pierce Fire and Rescue employees was performed. The results showed organizations brought together in a merger rarely start with a common culture. Corporations and government entities who address the cultural issues before, during and after a merger are typically more successful.Recommendations for future fire department mergers, whether it is WPFR or another fire service agency, are to conduct a culture due diligence study, effectively communicate with employees on all aspects of the merger, allow them to provide input and conduct cultural assessments prior to the merger, in the initial stages of the merger and post merger. The most important recommendation is to be proactive about cultural issues. Addressing cultural integration can mean the difference between a successful merger and a failed one.