This will not be a rebuilding year for Island County Fire District 3.
Working within a tight budget, the district will not be purchasing new vehicles or building any new fire stations, just providing firefighting and rescue services to the residents of South Whidbey.
On Feb. 12, commissioners approved the district’s 2004 budget which, at $1.29 million, is barely more than the $1.28 million spent last year. Dennis Webster, chairman of the fire district’s board of commissioners, said the slow growth can be largely attributed to the 1-percent per year property tax growth limit imposed by voters in 2000. That’s fine for the time being, he said.
“We are able to do a great job for now, but we will slowly lose ground because our cost of living rate remains at one percent,” he said. “But so far, we are able to save some money from year to year.”
But Webster concedes the budget is getting tighter, especially as the number of calls for service district volunteers answer increase. In 2003, the district dispatched volunteers 1,468 times, more than double the 748 times they went out in 1996.
The district’s operating budget for 2004 is $1.29 million with an expected $1.8 million in tax revenue. The district’s 2003 levy rate is 82.5 cents on every $1,000 of property value. The rate for 2004 has not yet been determined, as it is based on the assessed value of all property within the district. That value and the tax rate will be determined by the Island County Assessor’s Office.
The district asked voters to increase the tax rate to 90 cents last year. The measure failed.
This year the district will not be building or remodeling any fire stations — as it has done during each of the previous three years. Nor will any new fire engines or other emergency response vehicles be purchased. The only major capital expense the district will undertake will be the purchase and installation of vehicle exhaust evacuation systems for its the Maxwelton and Langley fire stations.
The systems, which hook onto the tailpipes of the district’s largely diesel fleet of vehicles, allow firefighters to run the vehicles at idle inside the stations. The cost of the systems is estimated at $50,000. The other stations, Freeland, Clinton, Bayview and Saratoga already have systems in place.
One project the district will consider this year — as it has in several prior years — is staffing fire stations 24 hours a day by having firefighters on for overnight shifts. Volunteers may be used if liability issues can be worked out, Webster said.
The district is in good shape in terms of having money on hand. By the end of this year, the district will have $363,857 in its reserve fund, $852,000 in an apparatus replacement fund, and $948,000 in a facilities fund. Total estimated income and reserves are budgeted to be $3.5 million.
A new fire chief, Dan Stout was hired effective Feb. 1, 2004 to replace retiring chief Don Smith. The budget was prepared before Stout took over.
The district’s three fulltime employees are the chief, assistant chief, one captain and one administrator and a part time administrative assistant who will go to a full time position this year. The district is staffed by 120 volunteers. Cost of training and outfitting volunteers is $2,200 for the gear and $1,000 for training. The district currently has three volunteers being certified as firefighters and five emergency medical technicians.
The district’s three fulltime employees are the chief, assistant chief, one captain and one administrator and a part time administrative assistant who will go to a full time position this year. Total administrative costs for 2004 are budgeted at $571,100.
The district is staffed by 120 volunteers. Cost of training and outfitting each volunteers is $3,200. The 2004 training budget is $49,270.
Copies of the district’s preliminary 2004 budget were available to the public in December 2003.
INFO BOX
How many calls does Island County Fire District 3 respond to? 2003 volunteers were called out to 1,468 fires, accidents and medical emergencies.
Total calls in 2003 2002
Emergency Medical responses 826 851
Fires called by alarms 80 56
Car fires 8 7
Chimney fires 17 10
Illegal burns 12 26
Structure fires 36 32
Grass/woods fires 47 28
HazMat spills 11 10
Motor vehicle accidents 98 108
Other 64 25
Cliff rescue 0 0
Marine rescue 15 15
Smoke odor investigation 28 25
Trees/power lines down 63 28
Total 1,468 1,221
