Clark County Fire District 3 (CCFD3) is considering asking voters to approve a levy lid lift as call volume continues to increase while revenue erodes.
Call volumes have increased more than 25 percent in the last six years and medical emergencies now account for 70 percent of all calls, a CCFD3 news release stated.
In 2017, voters approved a fire levy with a rate of $1.42 per $1,000 of assessed property value. After years of “levy erosion,” the amount collected has dropped dramatically to $1.16.
“We’ve worked on this a long time and taken a lot of inputs from public and staff, and it’s been a real slow growth process for us in this fire district, and there’s [been] a lot of thought that’s gone into it,” Fire Chief Scott Sorenson said. “What we’re proposing is what we feel would be good for the community, and that’s part of our job is to make sure that the community understands what it is we see as needs so that we can provide the services they need and expect.”
In 2023, voters shuttered a 1% lid lift. That is now impacting service levels. On top of the foiled lid lift, two of the district’s 14 firefighter/paramedics left for other jobs; those positions are now unfunded, the release stated.
Fire District 3 does not collect an EMS levy, the release added. The fire district is limited by state law to just a 1% revenue increase per year, while costs to provide emergency services increase almost 6% each year.
“The district is struggling to maintain the level and quality of emergency services our community requires,” Sorenson said in the release. “Revenue from our fire levy is not keeping up with the staffing levels needed to respond to calls. This is impacting the services that can be provided.”
CCFD3 staff and the Board of Fire Commissioners are discussing asking voters to approve a $0.34 fire levy lid lift, raising it from $1.16 to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value during the August 2024 primary election.
The lid lift would fund:
• Twenty-four-hour staffing at all five stations
• Additional paramedic-certified firefighters to improve survival rates in the community
• The purchase of a new ambulance to be used when transport cannot be delayed
• Fire station improvements that are needed to maintain operational readiness
The purchase of a new ambulance will be vital for operations, Sorenson said in a news release. A baby was born at the Battle Ground CCFD3 station during the January snow and ice storm, and with the call volume and road conditions, an American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance was not available for over an hour.
“We had a baby born at one of our fire stations — the one in the city — and we had to wait quite some time for an ambulance to come to transport the baby, so over an hour, and we don’t want that,” Sorenson said. “…But in the case we have an immediate need where the patient has to go — we want to be able to do that.”
The fire levy lid lift would cost the owner of a $500,000 home an additional $14.17 per month, or $170 per year, the release stated.
The Board of Fire Commissioners will discuss placing a levy lid lift on the August ballot at its March 27 meeting, which the public is invited to attend and learn more. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Station 31, 17718 NE 155th St. in Brush Prairie. Those interested can also attend virtually via Zoom. Find the link at fire3.org on the Board of Fire Commissioners page.
