It is never an easy thing for a fire department to ask its citizens for more funding. Firefighters pride themselves on being able to get a job done with the resources they have. But there comes a time when it is necessary to increase funding in order to maintain and continue to improve emergency services to a growing community.The Falcon Fire Protection District has placed a question on the November ballot that asks voters to approve a mill levy increase of 6.274 mills. The increase is to fund a full-service, district-operated advanced life support ambulance to improve 911 response times for medical emergencies. The increase also would allow the district to add firefighter/EMTs to meet the demands of increasing call volume and continue to provide emergency fire, medical, rescue and hazmat services.Earlier this year, a citizen public safety task force studied district operations and funding and considered feedback generated from a community-wide mail survey. At the July 18 FFPD board meeting, task force representatives reported the results of the surveys and recommended that the district ask the voters for a mill levy increase to fund ALS ambulance service and increase staffing. The district board accepted the recommendation of the citizen task force and noted that the recommended mill levy increase also would help homeowners by maintaining the districtís favorable Insurance Services Office rating.Here are some facts the board took into consideration:
- The Falcon Fire Protection District protects residents and businesses in 113 square miles of unincorporated El Paso County.
- FFPD is funded primarily through property taxes. It does†not†receive any funding from either El Paso County†or the state of Colorado, nor does it receive revenue from sales taxes
- Since the†fire district’s inception in†1981, 37 years ago, it has had only two mill levy†increases. The last mill levy increase was approved by voters in 2011 and was to retain professional firefighters that had been hired under a federal grant that expired.
- FFPD currently has one of the lowest mill levies of any county fire district; yet, serves one of the fastest-growing areas.
- The district has five fire stations. Three are staffed 24/7, two are not staffed.
- FFPD is a ìcombinationî fire department, meaning it utilizes paid (career) firefighter/EMTs as well as reserve (volunteer) personnel.
- The number of calls for service has increased more than 26 percent in five years, from 1,979 calls in 2013 to a record 2,502 calls in 2017. As of Aug. 30, 2018ís call volume was more than 11 percent higher than in 2017.
- About 69 percent of all calls are for emergency medical services and traffic accidents
- The number of calls resulting in transport by ambulance has increased more than 16 percent in the past two years.
- Ambulance transports for district residents are currently provided by a private company under a countywide contract that ends Dec. 31, 2019.
- In 2017, the districtís ISO rating improved to a Class 3/10, which translates to lower home insurance premiums for many residents. Staffing, response times, training, water supply and equipment are just some of the factors considered in ISO ratings.
- Other county fire agencies, including Black Forest Fire/Rescue and the Ellicott Fire Protection District, are also seeking mill levy increases this November. Last year, voters approved mill levy increases for the Wescott Fire Protection District and Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District.
