When any portion of a fire protection district merges with another fire protection district, any employee of the merging district who (1) was at the time of merger employed exclusively or principally in performing the powers, duties, and functions which are to be performed by the merger district (2) will, as a direct consequence of the merger, be separated from the employ of the merging district, and (3) can perform the duties and meet the minimum requirements of the position to be filled, then such employee may transfer employment to the merger district as provided in this section and RCW 52.06.120 and 52.06.130.

For purposes of this section and RCW 52.06.120 and 52.06.130, employee means an individual whose employment with a fire protection district has been terminated because the fire protection district merged with another fire protection district for purposes of fire protection.