Quilcene Fire Rescue

1. Quilcene Fire Rescue Welcome To Our Community Strategic Plan Unveiling

2. Mission Statement We, the members of the Jefferson County Fire District #2, will provide to the citizens of Quilcene/Coyle competent and professional fire, rescue, and emergency services while ensuring the safety, education, and well-being of our members.

3. We are here today to discuss the fire district’s financial outlook for 2015 and beyond. Our revenues have not kept pace with expenses over the years. This is not a new problem, it may just be no one brought it to your attention in the past. Quilcene fire Rescue will be placing a ballot initiative on the November ballot for a Levy Lid Lift to provide needed Operating Funds. The last voter approved lid lift was in 1988.

4. What Brought Us Here Today? • 2011 the commissioners discussed a lid lift to pay for the resident firefighter program • June 10, 2013 The commissioners discussed the idea of a levy lid lift at their regularly scheduled board meeting • July 1, 2013 Chief Karp met with Jack Westerman the Jefferson County Assessor. He was very frank when he told me we were in trouble. We can’t keep spending more money than we are bringing in. Operating budget should = property tax revenue • July 8, 2013 Commissioners voted to hold special meeting to vote to place lid lift on the November 2013 ballot. • July 25, 2013 The Commissioners met with the community and discussed the lid lift plan. • July 29, 2013 Last weeks meeting was continued-Commissioners voted to place lid lift on the November ballot • August 1, 29013 the resolution was delivered to the county building to be placed on the ballot

5. Timeline Continued………. • August 1-6, 2013 A number of concerned citizens spoke to Chief Karp about their feelings on the lid lift proposal • August 12, 2013 commissioners voted to rescind the lid lift motion. Community sentiment was to try again in 2014 • October 2013 Commissioners approved a budget that did not cut or eliminate services BUT had more expenses than revenues.

6. Where are we going with all this information?

7. So, What would a family do when expenses outpace income ? • Find alternate funding sources • Reduce spending •Hold off on major purchases

8. So, What would a fire district do when expenses outpace income ? • Find alternate funding sources • Reduce spending • Hold off on major purchases • Eliminate services

9. We can not sustain the negative spending past 2014---

10. Where are we going with all this information?

11. • Where are we now? • What staff do we employ? • What vehicles do we need to maintain and replace? • What structures do we own and maintain? • What other costs do we have?

12. Fire District Staff • Fire Chief---The only full time member of the fire district • Deputy Chief-compensated for his time

13. Office Help • Administrative Assistant—Works 30 hours a week • Administrative Volunteer—Office help, EMS inventory

14. Volunteers and Resident • Resident Program—6 Firefighter/EMT’s 48/96 shifts • Volunteers-Various degrees of training, experience, and certifications

15. Vehicles • 3 Aid Cars • Aid 21 2004 Ford • Aid 22 1994 Ford • Aid 23 1993 Ford • Support 21 1996 Converted Aid Car • Air Cascade System • Wheeled stokes basket for trail rescues • Rehab supplies • Extra air packs (SCBA)

16. Engines and Tenders • Engine 21 2005 • Engine 22 1996 • Engine 23 1990 • Tender 21 1986 GMC

17. Rescue, Brush and Chief Vehicles • Rescue 21 1999 GMC (Old engine 21) • Brush 21 1989 GMC Retired USFS Vehicle • Brush 22 1994 Ford F-350 • Chief 201 2008 Ford Expedition • Chief 202 2005 Ford 150 Pickup

18. Cost to Operate Vehicles • Annual preventive maintenance on apparatus: $500.00 per vehicle • Annual pump tests: $350.00 each pump • Annual ladder tests: $1.25 per ft x 239’= $298.00 • Tires, NFPA 1911/7 years, we have over 44 large Vehicle tires: $740.00 each and 38 aid car or command vehicle: $235.00 each * Snow tires

19. Structures • Herbert Street • Station 21 • Annex • Chief’s Office • Resident house • Water Tower • 2 rental Properties • 3 Garage/Barn Buildings

21. Property costs • Insurance • Utilities • Electric, fuel oil, propane, telephone, internet • Preventive maintenance • Repairs

22. Dabob Station • Station 23 • Insurance • Electric • Fuel Oil • Repairs • Upkeep

23. Coyle Station • Station 22 • Insurance • Electric • Fuel Oil • Repairs • Upkeep • Water Tank on Coyle

24. Our Expenses You May Not Have Thought About • Utilities • General Structure maintenance • Buildings break • Annual hose testing • Annual SCBA tests • Annual Vehicle Preventive Maintenance • Annual Fire Pump tests

25. Annual Ladder Tests • Annual Maintenance on Hydraulic tools, rubber seals, gaskets….. • Snow tires • Broken tools-Old age • Cost of training • Class • Travel • Props or materials • Cost of time • Annual Dispatch Fees

26. Equipment costs Class B shirt $90.00 Class B Pants $110.00 Station Boots $150-300 Badge $82.00 Radio holder and Harness $48.00

27. Bunker Gear Fire Helmet $ 250.00 Hood $ 50.00 Bunker Coat $ 1,600.00 Bunker Pants $ 1,100.00 Gloves $ 65.00 Fire Boots $ 250.00 Flashlight $ 110.00 Breathing Apparatus $ 1,800.00

28. Rescue Tools Rescue Tool Power Unit $5,700 Spreaders $6,200 Cutters $5,000 Ram Bars $3,100 Struts $3,700

29. Radios Fire Radio $800.00 Voice Pager $450.00

31. Cost of Responses • EMS & Fire Calls • Sometimes we get paid by insurance companies and sometimes not • Sometimes it’s just for a taxi ride—not an emergency • People abuse the EMS system • We have a huge district, lots of time and miles driven • Traffic collisions—huge use of our resources • Smoke Investigations—They all cost us money • Equipment must be ready to respond at all times

32. What Are We doing To Save Money? • Reducing utility costs • Doing our own repairs as much as possible • Conducting our own hose testing • Being very frugal or thrifty with spending • Put off mandated inspections and repairs

33. Back to slide 7 • So, What would a fire district do when expenses outpace income ? • • Find alternate funding sources • • Reduce spending • • Hold off on major purchases • • Eliminate services

34. Our Options…….. • Cut $100,000 out of our 2015 budget-Eliminate the Resident FF/EMT Program • Ask the taxpayers for a levy lid lift to cover operational expenses • Ask the taxpayers for a levy lid lift to not only cover operational expenses but also begin putting funds into a vehicle/building replacement account

35. We either need to Increase Income oreliminate Services • 2014 AV. 339,687,850 x $0.75 = $254,765. • 2015 AV 337,437,850 x $0.75 = $253,078. x $1.00 = $337,437. x $1.25 = $421,797. x $1.50 = $506,156.

36. Assessed Value-Assuming new assessment of $1.25 per $1,000 Monthly Increase Annual Increase $100,000 $4.16 $49.92 $150,000 $6.24 $74.88 $200,000 $8.32 $99.84

37. Your homeowners Insurance • Your rate is in part based on our FD Washington State Ratings Bureau (WSRB) Rating • WSRB rates all FD 1-10 with 1 being the best, 10 being basically no fire protection • We are now an 8 because of our staffing and Tender in service • We will go to a rating of 10 without the on duty residents

38. Insurance Agent Thoughts………… • You would see a substantial increase in premium on each property • Some firms will not write a policy when the rating is a 10 • $50.00 would be a drop in the bucket • You’d probably end up paying an increased premium 5x that amount

39. Current Fire District Levies

40. Why Are We Hurting Now? • Timber taxes are now almost non-existent • Previously, taxing districts received a 6% bump each year to offset rising costs • Initiative 747 in 2001 changed that bump to only a 1% increase each year • Our costs have risen much more than 1% a year

41. Timber sales Over the Years

42. Timber Tax Money Through the Years

43. Initiative 747 in 2001 *Hypothetical anylysis

44. What additional Sources of Revenue are you Looking at? • EMS transport money is now coming to us • Burn Permits from us instead of ORCAA • Billing Non-Residents for Auto Accidents • Ability to now bill for non-transport EMS calls • Sending accounts to collections • Renting of the 2 properties

46. 12 Years of Finances

47. Tell us what Happens When the Levy Lid Lift Passes • Status Quo • No Planned Reduction in Staffing • No Planned elimination of Services • Possibly more Consistent Staffing • Establish a Vehicle Replacement Fund

48. Tell us what Happens When the Levy Lid Lift Fails • Changes will Have to be Made • Elimination of the current Resident Firefighter Program • More reliance on the Volunteers • No EMT or Firefighters on Duty 24/7 • Lose some of Our “Mutual Aid” • Washington State Rating Bureau (WSRB) # will go up-higher insurance • Unstaffed Station

49. Continued…… • No One to check vehicles on a daily basis • No one to go into the school and talk fire safety • There will be no one in the fire station unless there is an active call

50. Today’s Volunteers • We have a GREAT Group of 25 Dedicated Volunteers on Our Roster • But, their time is limited • Relying on volunteers as Our first Line of Defense • Volunteerism has changed—time commitments