On Tuesday our local fire district, Snohomish County Fire District 5, will be asking voters to support a levy to guarantee continued emergency response staffing. We are fortunate to have our firefighters and EMS specialists available for our emergency needs whenever we need them, night or day; yet it is easy to ignore the reality that for any organization to function, it must be properly financed. Fire District 5 collects tax revenue at a substantially lower rate than its neighbors in Gold Bar, Monroe, Snohomish or Index, but must shoulder the same expenses.
Most emergency calls require several members of the department to respond. Often there are multiple emergency vehicles required as well. The district relies heavily upon its nucleus of well-trained and carefully selected volunteers, augmenting them with paid firefighters during the weekdays. As the district becomes more urban, more populated and more traveled, our volunteers simply cannot be expected to meet the increasing demand. We must hire enough firefighters to staff our fire station seven days a week, including holidays.
The district has experienced enormous increased costs for emergency radio communications and 911 dispatch. Insurance costs, fuel costs and the cost of medic response, for which the district contracts with Monroe, have all increased.
The emergency vehicles owned by the district are a source of pride and are given meticulous care. Their years are starting to show, however, and eventually replacements will be necessary to provide continued reliability.
In short, the district needs to be supported so that we can continue to have the excellent care and response that we have come to expect. Good things do come in small packages; our fire district has a record of quality and reliability and is always there when we need them. Let’s give them a hand when they need us to, and support them with a yes vote on Proposition 1.
Carolyn Eslick
Sultan
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
