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YES saves lives; YES saves you money!
Read below to find out how!
***UPDATE***
Thank you voters for supporting this levy! It passed with overwhelming support! Your district representatives are working diligently to put into place the staffing needed to support our area. THANK YOU!
Proposition:
Fire District 20 is proposing an increase from the current levy of $0.41 per $1000 to $1.35 per $1000 levy on the August 1, 2023 ballot. This is an increase of $0.94 per $1000 of assessed property value.
Result if Approved:
For the first time, Fire District 20 will have 24/7 fire and EMT staffing and no longer be subject to staffing issues related to dwindling or non-existent volunteer support. This will enable those residing within FD20 boundaries to keep their home and property insurance premium rates based on the favorable Protection Class 6 fire service rating.
Impacts if NOT Approved:
Without staffing, the vast majority of calls will be responded to from Winlock and Toledo. Response times due to driving distances and railroad blockages will increase dramatically. Those residing within FD20 boundaries will see their home and property insurance rates increase as the current Protection Class 6 rating becomes much less favorable and increases to an estimated 8 or 9 out of a possible 10. The insurance premium increase will most likely be more expensive than the proposed levy increase.
Read more about Protection Class fire ratings here: https://www1.wsrb.com/resources/public-protection
Fire Protection Class Ratings:
The insurance premiums below, with respect to changes in PCR ratings, were obtained from Safeco Insurance. If the levy was not approved, a home valued at $365,000 would see insurance premiums increase an estimated $309 (PCR 8) to $913 (PCR 9) annually.
The levy cost on the same house is an increase of $343 annually.
Emergency Medical Services Levy Saves Lives
The Short Story
Our fire station has never had a paid staff and has relied on oncall volunteers to maintain its excellent service. Unfortunately, there are not enough qualified volunteers to maintain adequate service. Support to our district is taking longer and frequently arriving from other cities. To maintain a fast response and keep your homeowners insurance premiums from rising, a paid staff needs to be retained. Your elected Fire Commissioners have determined that a levy of $1.35 per $1000 of assessed value will allow 24/7 coverage at the station. This will put trained staff within as little as two minutes from your home.
If this levy fails, we can expect property and home insurance premiums to increase. In fact, initial estimates show that approving this levy will SAVE property owners money. A large factor that insurance companies use to set your rates is fire coverage. Longer response times (further from a staffed station) equals more expensive rates. FD20 currently is Protection Class 6 in a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being best). Best estimates suggest a new Protection Class of 8 or 9. New insurance rates could far surpass the cost of this levy.
This would be a historic move for our district. With a professional full time and trained staff we would be ensuring the best safety and outcomes in emergency circumstances for ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors.
---THINK---
Your loved one is unresponsive on the floor.
How long are you willing to wait for help to arrive?
Two minutes? Eight minutes? More?
This is the decision before you.
Who will answer the call?
Fire District 20 needs your support!
Last year, Fire District 20 had 428 calls for service. That’s an average of 1.17 calls per day, handled by volunteers
and with the help of mutual aid from Winlock and Toledo Fire Departments.
They cannot continue to rely on mutual aid to cover the call load, and, with less certified responders,
they are not available to meet calls for service, especially daytime hours.
They will have a Levy Lid Lift on the Ballot on August 1st , which if it passes would enable them to hire full-time firefighter/EMT’s.
Explanatory Statement
Cowlitz County-Lewis County Fire Protection District #20 provides emergency fire protection and
medical services to its citizens. If approved by the voters, this proposition will authorize the District
to establish its regular real property tax levy rate at $1.35 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in 2023
for collection in 2024 (the current levy is approximately $.41 per $1,000 of assessed valuation).
The dollar amount levied in 2023 shall serve as the District’s tax levy base and in 2024, absent
further voter approval, the tax levy will be subject to the statutory one percent limit.
The population and infrastructure of the District have increased over the past ten years and the
number of calls for service have increased from 216 in 2011 to 428 in 2022. While Fire Department
staffing has always consisted of volunteer responders, the number of qualified volunteers has
dwindled, from 15, during the same period, to 6, putting staffing at critical levels; presently, with
only one certified Emergency Medical Technician volunteer. This Levy will provide funding to
staff 24-hour coverage 365 days per year with full-time, qualified fire and emergency medical
responders to assure a first out unit for fire and emergency medical responses.
The District’s Board of Commissioners has determined that this proposition is necessary to maintain
an effective level of services, fire fighter staffing, equipment and facilities in light of rising costs.
Approval of this measure will allow the District to maintain the level of fire protection and
emergency medical services provided to its citizens.
Fire District 20 includes Ryderwood and the greater Vader area
Fire District 20 includes Ryderwood and the greater Vader area
RES 2023-03 LEVY LID LIFT HIGHLIGHTS FOR FLYER.docxFD20 ExplanatoryStatement HIGHLIGHTS FOR FLYER.docxPages from Fire District Handout.pdf
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