Quilcene Fire Rescue

Welcome To Our Community Strategic Plan Unveiling

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.

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.

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

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.

Where are we going with all this information?

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 20190

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Expenses All Income Tax Income

So, What would a family do when expenses outpace income ?

• Find alternate funding sources• Reduce spending•Hold off on major purchases

So, What would a fire district do when expenses outpace income ?

• Find alternate funding sources• Reduce spending• Hold off on major purchases• Eliminate services

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

Where are we going with all this information?

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

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Balance Expenses Income TIMBER

• 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?

Fire District Staff

Fire Chief---The only full time member of the fire district

Deputy Chief-compensated for his time

Office Help

Administrative Assistant—Works 30 hours a week

Administrative Volunteer—Office help, EMS inventory

Volunteers and ResidentResident Program—6 Firefighter/EMT’s 48/96 shifts

Volunteers-Various degrees of training, experience, and certifications

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)

Engines and Tenders

• Engine 21 2005• Engine 22 1996• Engine 23 1990

• Tender 21 1986 GMC

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

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

Structures

• Herbert Street• Station 21• Annex• Chief’s Office• Resident house

• Water Tower• 2 rental Properties• 3 Garage/Barn Buildings

Property costs

• Insurance• Utilities• Electric, fuel oil, propane, telephone, internet

• Preventive maintenance• Repairs

Dabob Station

• Station 23

• Insurance• Electric• Fuel Oil• Repairs• Upkeep

Coyle Station

•Station 22• Insurance• Electric• Fuel Oil• Repairs• Upkeep

• Water Tank on Coyle

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

• 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

Equipment costs

Class B shirt $90.00

Class B Pants $110.00Station Boots $150-300Badge $82.00Radio holder and Harness $48.00

Bunker Gear

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

Rescue Tools

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

Radios

Fire Radio $800.00Voice Pager $450.00

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

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

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

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

We either need to Increase Income or

eliminate 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.

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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

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

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

Current Fire District Levies

Fire Levy EMS Levy M&O Levy

Total Levy Amount

Total Collected in 2014

Total To Be collected W/increase

Jefferson FD 1 1.33 0.50 0.00 $1.83** $3,274,400+Jefferson FD 2 0.75 0.00 0.00 $0.75 $ 256,691Jefferson FD 3 1.50 0.50 0.59 $2.59 $ 2,377,317Jefferson FD 4 0.73 0.50 0.00 $1.23 $ 332,809 $ 405,864Jefferson FD 5 1.00 .50 0.00 $1.50 $ 109,517

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

Timber sales Over the YearsYear Amount Re’c

1990 1,982 2003 52,614

1991 20,493 2004 101,314

1992 3,962 2005 160,691

1993 26,531 2006 72,102

1994 31,609 2007 14,461

1995 73,175 2008 132,878

1996 154,432 2009 49,543

1997 20,034 2010 14,860

1998 136,628 2011 31,680

1999 62,460 2012 6,302

2000 130,328 2013 5,780

2001 51,578 2014

2002 132,532 2015

Timber Tax Money Through the Years

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

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Series 1 Series 2 Series 3

200,000 Base Tax 1% Annual Increases

6% Annual Increases

After 1 year $202,000 $212,000

After 2 year $204,020 $224,720

After 3 year $206,060 $238,203

After 4 year $208,120 $252,495

After 5 year $210,202 $267,645

After 6 year $212,304 $283,703

After 7 year $214,427 300, 726

After 8 year $216,571 $318,769

After 9 years $218,737 $337,895

After 10 years $220,924 $358,169

Initiative 747 in 2001

*Hypothetical anylysis

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

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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

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

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

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

The Volunteer Committment

• 24 hours of initial “Fundementals” training• 175+ hours of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training• 240+ hours of Certified Firefighter Academy• Continuing education for EMT certification• Mandatory training subjects annually• Calls all hours of the day and night• Calls on holidays and days of parties

Volunteers on Quilcene Fire Rescue RosterChief Q 178 64.49%FGS Q 164 59.42%DC Coyle 135 48.91%Resident Q 129 46.74%Ex-Resident Q 97 35.14% Good responder when not workingResident Q 96 34.78%Ex-Resident Brinnon 70 25.36% No responses in 2 monthsResident Q 70 25.36%On-Leave Q 69 25.00% Unknown if will returnVolunteer-FF Q 66 23.91% Good responder when not workingResident Kitsap 61 22.10% does not respond from homeDriver Q 54 19.57%Resident Q 51 18.48%EMT Coyle 47 17.03%FGS Q 44 15.94%FGS-Driver Q 41 14.86%Driver Coyle 26 9.42%FF/Medic Hadlock 20 7.25%FGS Q 17 6.16%EMT North Q 15 5.43%FGS Q 12 4.35%EMT Brinnon 11 3.99% Does not repond from homeFF/EMT Coyle 5 1.81% Does not respond from homeFGS Coyle 5 1.81%FF/EMT Q 5 1.81%FF/Medic 4 1.45%

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Who are the EMT's in Quilcene Without The Resident ProgramChief Q 178 64.49%

FGS Q 164 59.42%

DC Coyle 135 48.91% Responding from bottom of Coyle

Resident Q 129 46.74%

Ex-Resident Q 97 35.14% Good responder when not working

Resident Q 96 34.78%

Ex-Resident Brinnon 70 25.36% No responses in 2 months

Resident Q 70 25.36%

On-Leave Q 69 25.00% Unknown if will return

Volunteer-FF Q 66 23.91% Good responder when not working

Resident Kitsap 61 22.10% does not respond from home

Driver Q 54 19.57%

Resident Q 51 18.48%

EMT Coyle 47 17.03% Responding from bottom of Coyle

FGS Q 44 15.94%

FGS-Driver Q 41 14.86%

Driver Coyle 26 9.42%

FF/Medic Hadlock 20 7.25% Works a lot at other job

FGS Q 17 6.16%

EMT North Q 15 5.43% 10+ minutes from Station 21

FGS Q 12 4.35%

EMT Brinnon 11 3.99% Does not repond from home

FF/EMT Coyle 5 1.81% Does not respond from home

FGS Coyle 5 1.81%

FF/EMT Q 5 1.81%

FF/Medic 4 1.45%276

Certified Firefighters Without The Resident ProgramChief Q 178 64.49%

FGS Q 164 59.42%

DC Coyle 135 48.91%

Resident Q 129 46.74%

Ex-Resident Q 97 35.14% Good responder when not working

Resident Q 96 34.78%

Ex-Resident Brinnon 70 25.36% No responses in 2 months

Resident Q 70 25.36%

On-Leave Q 69 25.00% Unknown if will return

Volunteer-FF Q 66 23.91% Good responder when not working

Resident Kitsap 61 22.10% does not respond from home

Driver Q 54 19.57%

Resident Q 51 18.48%

EMT Coyle 47 17.03%

FGS Q 44 15.94%

FGS-Driver Q 41 14.86%

Driver Coyle 26 9.42%

FF/Medic Hadlock 20 7.25%

FGS Q 17 6.16%

EMT North Q 15 5.43%

FGS Q 12 4.35%

EMT Brinnon 11 3.99% Does not repond from home

FF/EMT Coyle 5 1.81% Does not respond from home

FGS Coyle 5 1.81%

FF/EMT Q 5 1.81%

FF/Medic 4 1.45%276

Questions/Comments From our 2013 Community Meetings

•What about Timber money?

•Where is your website? www.QVFD.org• You’re not ready yet, we need more info•We need to know more about 2013 spending• Please tell us the plan• I’m not voting for this, you pissed away this money

More Community Comments and Questions

• Tell us what happens if this fails• What is the response time with and without Resident firefighters?• Don’t lose the lid lift vote, the 2nd time around will be harder• Separate the money needs, are we asking for operating or capital?• Help us understand your business plan.

Decisions!!

• It’s now time for the community to make a decision

•Increase FD revenues

•Eliminate services

Options……..

• The fire commissioners would like to look at 3 different options and would like community input on each option.

1. Cut $100,000 out of our 2015 budget-Eliminate the Resident FF/EMT Program

2. Ask the taxpayers for a levy lid lift to cover operational expenses

3 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

•QUESTIONS

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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

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