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09/13/2022 - Regular - Additional Docs-SKFR Update Fire District Update 2022 Providing Emergency Services 1 Thank You for 75 Years! Largest emergency services provider in Kitsap County Provides fire and emergency medical service (EMS) Full-time and volunteer emergency personnel responded to over 12,000 calls in 2021 10.7% increase compared to the year before Honored to serve citizens of South Kitsap Fire and Rescue for 75 years 2 Service Area Serves 79,000 people 117 square miles Includes all of South Kitsap County: Burley-Olalla City of Port Orchard Glenwood Gorst McCormick Woods Manchester Sunnyslope Navy Yard City Rocky Point 3 What We Do Emergency medical service Ambulance transport service Fire Suppression Technical and water rescue Hazardous materials response Infectious disease response Fire and EMS prevention Smoke alarm installations 4 For Us, This Job is Personal. We have a personal interest in helping our community not only survive, but thrive. Responding to 911 calls puts us in a unique position to help connect families to food, shelter, emergency medical providers, and mental/behavioral health programs. In 2020, our staff and personnel contributed almost $12,000 to charitable programs that support community members in need. 5 Accountable and Transparent Debt free Operates under a balanced budget Passed all its independent audits by the state 6 How Emergency Services are Funded Daily emergency operations funded by two voter-approved property tax levies Capped at combined total of $2.00 per $1,000 of assessed property value FIRE LEVY $1.50/$1,000 AV cap Accounts for almost 60% of revenue and is critical to maintain emergency service levels Voters approved levy rate of $1.50/$1,000 AV in 2017 Currently, the rate has fallen to $1.21/$1,000 in 2022 EMS LEVY $0.50/$1,000 AV cap Voters returned rate to $0.50/$1,000 AV in 2021 Limits the fire district to roughly the same amount of revenue per year plus a one percent increase Over time, the levy rates fall as property values rise 7 How Emergency Services are Funded The Fire District pays for capital needs (like stations and equipment) through voter-approved bonds. These items are too expensive to fund through our operating levies without cutting emergency service levels 8 Adequate Facilities are Important to Health and Safety Two years ago, voters almost approved a bond for to renovate or replace three stations. These projects are necessary to locate a fire station closer to population areas, and to add space and provide a healthier working environment for firefighters. Would improve the health and safety of our community and its firefighters! We’re working to reduce the bond amount, and expect to ask voters for their approval sometime in the near future. 9 Call Volumes Increasing Over 12,000 calls in 2021 Increased 47.5% in the past 10 years Up 10.7% last year alone 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 10 Our community requires additional staffing… …for the safety of the public and its firefighters Response times are increasing Our community requires more firefighters to maintain emergency service levels So are back to back calls Recently completed a study, which identifies the need for additional personnel to meet the National Fire Protection Association standards. Talk about the 8 fires in June 11 Fire Levy Lid Lift for Additional Firefighters SKFR is asking voters to return the fire levy to $1.50/$1,000 November 8, 2022 General Election This $0.29 fire levy lid lift would cost the average homeowner* approximately $130 a year Or $10.87 per month Funding will be used to hire additional firefighters over the next five years This would enable SKFR meet National Fire Protection Association staffing standards Improves safety for our community and its firefighters *defined as a home with an assessed value of $450,000 12 National Fire Protection Association Standard 13 Thank You! Questions? More Information: Jeff Faucett, Fire Chief (360) 895-6502 jfaucett@skfr.org Website | www.SKFR.org Facebook | SKFR.ORG Twitter | @SKFR_Media 14 15 16 17 Strategic Locations for Response Times Add Slide for Manchester and Burley Town Halls with specifics 18 …but there’s no place to put them. Our facilities are inadequate to hold the firefighters that we’ve budgeted for Some stations do not meet current seismic codes At risk of collapsing in an earthquake Stations also lack effective diesel exhaust removal systems and decontamination areas Reduce firefighter exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens and infectious diseases 19