Board of Fire Commissioners passes fire levy lid lift resolution

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The Board of Fire Commissioners passed a resolution to place a fire levy lid lift on the August 6, 2024, primary election ballot. The lid lift would fund additional firefighters to respond to higher call volumes and replace aging apparatus.
Call volumes have increased by 39 percent in the past six years. Last year, the fire district responded to 11,384 calls – of which 68 percent were for medical emergencies (EMS). Revenue from the district’s current fire levy is not keeping up with higher call volumes and costs to provide service.
Additional firefighters and paramedics are needed to maintain the level and quality of emergency services the community requires. Some emergency apparatus has also reached the end of its usable life and needs to be replaced to ensure service reliability when responding to calls.
If approved by voters, the fire levy lid lift will fund:
• Up to six firefighters over the next six years – allowing the district to staff two additional stations (Lake Symington and Olympic View) 24 hours a day and reduce response times across the district
• Replace an ambulance that has reached the end of its usable life
• Refurbish up to three engines, saving taxpayers up to $2 million as opposed to buying new ones
• Improve firefighter and paramedic training programs
The lid lift would also fund the CARES program to reduce non-emergency calls to 911 and improve service for residents. CARES is a program that helps assist community members with issues before they become emergencies.
The fire district is asking voters to return the fire levy from $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $1.50, which is the levy rate voters approved in 2019. The $0.16 lid lift would cost the owner of a $500,000 home an additional $6.67 per month or $80 per year.
Find more information at www.ckfr.org. Fire Chief Jason Christian also welcomes your questions at jchristian@ckfr.org and 360-447-3550.

Board of Fire Commissioners to meet on fire levy resolution

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Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue Board of Fire Commissioners will meet March 25 to discuss a resolution to place a fire levy lid lift on the August 6, 2024, primary election ballot. The community is encouraged to attend the meeting at 4 p.m. at the district’s administrative building, 5300 NW Newberry Hill Road, Suite 101.
Revenue from the fire levy is not keeping up with higher call volumes and costs to provide emergency services. Call volumes have increased by 39 percent in the last six years. In 2023, the fire district responded to over 11,300 calls – and the majority of those calls, 68 percent, were for medical emergencies.
“We require additional personnel to keep up with higher call volumes,” Fire Chief Jason Christian said. “In addition, we need to replace aging apparatus to ensure service reliability when responding to calls.”
If approved by voters, the fire levy lid lift will fund:
• Up to six firefighters over the next six years, allowing the fire district to staff both the Lake Symington and Olympic View stations 24 hours a day and reduce response times districtwide
• Replacement of an aging ambulance and refurbish up to three engines – saving taxpayers money as opposed to buying new ones
• Firefighter and paramedic training
• The CARES program to reduce non-emergency calls to 911 and improve service for residents
The fire district prefers to pay for capital items – such as ambulances – through the regular fire levy instead of borrowing money, which costs taxpayers more in interest payments. The fire levy lid lift would continue this cost-saving measure.
The Board is considering asking voters to return the fire levy from $1.34 to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The $0.16 lid lift would cost an additional $6.67 per month or $80 per year for the owner of a $500,000 home.
Find more information about the levy lid lift at www.ckfr.org. Fire Chief Jason Christian also welcomes your questions at jchristian@ckfr.org and 360-447-3550.