(1) If any portion of a fire protection district is proposed for annexation to or incorporation into a city, code city, or town, both the fire protection district and the city, code city, or town shall jointly inform the employees of the fire protection district about hires, separations, terminations, and any other changes in employment that are a direct consequence of annexation or incorporations at the earliest reasonable opportunity.

(2) Upon the annexation of two or more cities or code cities, any employee of the fire department of the former city or cities who (a) was at the time of annexation employed exclusively or principally in performing the powers, duties, and functions which are to be performed by the fire department of the annexed city or code city, as the case may be, (b) will, as a direct consequence of annexation, be separated from the employ of the former city, code city or town, and (c) can perform the duties and meet the minimum requirements of the position to be filled, then such employee may transfer employment to the fire department of the annexing city, as provided in this section and RCW 35.10.365 and 35.10.370.

(3) For purposes of this section and RCW 35.10.365 and 35.10.370, employee means an individual whose employment has been terminated because of annexation by a city, code city or town.