2024 Proposed Levy Override

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The proposed levy override would provide funds for maintaining current operations and firefighter retention, firefighter protective gear, operations, and staffing of Station 55 located in the northeastern portion of SFPD’s 55-square-mile service area. The additional 24/7 firefighter/EMT coverage will accommodate the current needs of our District and improve our ability to respond to emergencies throughout the entire District. Reduced response times save lives and property and contribute to improved ISO ratings, which can result in lower insurance costs for residents.

Read on to learn more about previous actions to address costs, growth, and recent statutory changes that all contribute to the current fiscal challenges facing the District.

In 2019 a collaborative partnership, which has become known as MidStar Fire, began between SFPD and the Middleton Rural Fire District (MRFD). The two entities entered into an agreement to share administrative leadership positions. Since then, the partnership has evolved and the two Districts now share a Fire Chief, District Administrator, and administrative support staff as well as Deputy and Battalion Chiefs that lead and oversee daily operations of both Districts. This partnership has resulted in significant cost savings amounting to over $430,000 in personnel costs per year for each District allowing funds for additional firefighters and more “boots on the ground.” The MidStar Fire partnership also currently optimizes daily staffing levels throughout the three stations within the two Districts to reduce overtime costs associated with vacancies.

The Middleton and Star Districts also participate in collaborative purchasing of supplies, firefighter protective gear, apparatus, and equipment. The increased purchasing power saves both Districts substantially throughout all areas. In 2020 the Districts saved an additional $30,000 in apparatus purchasing alone.

Due to the increased costs of fire engines and a three to four year wait time for delivery, the MidStar Fire partnership has also worked collaboratively to locate a vendor that is able to refurbish older fire engines and restore them to like new condition for half the cost of a new engine.

In addition, through multiple joint powers agreements, SFPD provides apparatus and emergency vehicle maintenance services with MRFD and several other fire districts and departments throughout the region. The addition of the Maintenance Division in 2015 provided the District with an internal source for providing maintenance on apparatus, vehicles, and equipment, getting them back in service and responding to emergencies much quicker and at a lower cost than outsourcing repairs and maintenance. 

Star Fire District and the City of Star have developed a working relationship that benefits the community and saves taxpayer dollars. Without the use of taxpayer dollars, in 2022 the City was able to secure the purchase of a 2018 Pierce/Dash Ascendant 107’ Aerial Ladder Truck to better enable the ability of the fire district to respond to multi-level structure emergencies and help to maintain the ISO rating.  The two entities entered into an equipment lease purchase agreement for the ladder truck.

In 2023 the City of Star had outgrown City Hall and was in search of additional office space to house the City of Star Police Department. The Fire District had recently vacated a 7,000 square foot space at the current District Headquarters/Station 51 located on W State Street. Through a collaborative effort to save taxpayer dollars, the two entities partnered together, the City remodeled the space, and it now houses the City’s Police Department and Parks and Recreation Department. This saved millions of dollars for the community.   

In 2018, SFPD implemented development impact fees that are assessed on all new construction. Impact fees are restricted funds and can only be used to fund new facilities and apparatus with at least a ten-year life cycle. Impact fees CANNOT be used for replacing current stations or apparatus, or annual operating expenses (personnel, equipment, firefighter protective gear, and general overhead cost). To date the District has collected more than $3 million in impact fees.

Currently, SFPD is using impact fees to construct our new Station 55, located on West Floating Feather Road between Pollard Lane and Plummer Road. The 2.25 acres for this facility was acquired through the City of Star and the developer to accommodate emergency services. Impact fees will also fund the purchase of the required fire apparatus for Station 55. The new facility will accommodate fulltime firefighter/EMT crews.

The District has experienced population growth of approximately 55% since 2018 and now serves more than 22,000 residents. The number of structures has increased by more than 2,500 during that same time period. Planned subdivisions and recent historical growth patterns suggest continued growth, with a projected 2028 population of more than 33,500.

An increase in fire and medical emergencies, local and commuter traffic, and more structures necessitate the need for more firefighter/EMT personnel to achieve optimal response times and maintain public safety standards. Calls for emergency services have increased to more than 1,240 calls in 2023.

Star Firefighter/EMTs protect and respond to emergency calls for service within the entire 55-square-mile District and surrounding areas. These emergency responses include medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, structure fires, grass fires, water rescues, hazardous materials, public assistance, and more. Overall growth throughout the region has contributed to more traffic on highways that run through the District. Highway 44, Highway 16, and Highway 20/26 all pass through the SFPD. Local traffic along with more than 19,000 commuters travel through the District daily and this impacts the demand for emergency services. Traffic congestion also affects response times from Stations 51 and 52.

In addition to the rapid growth SFPD has experienced, the way the District and departments across the country respond to fires and emergency medical situations has changed.

Residents are most likely to interact with District life-saving personnel during a medical emergency. In fact, 70 to 80% of calls are for emergency medical care. Emergency medical response times to residents due to medical emergencies, structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, and other situations are critical to providing intervention as quickly as possible to save patients and stabilize them for ambulance transport to a nearby hospital.

According to the American Heart Association, after a heart stops beating, brain cells can be severely damaged within four to six minutes. Without intervention, a victim's chances of survival are reduced by 7–10% with every minute that passes. Response time is critical to the public safety of our community.

Today’s house fire burns hotter and quicker due to more synthetic materials used in furniture and other home furnishings which often emit toxic smoke. Also, open floor plans allow fires to spread faster and more freely. Four decades ago, residents had 17 minutes to escape a house fire. Today, it can be as little as 3 to 5 minutes.

These changes necessitate faster response times, strategically located and staffed stations for better access to residential and commercial areas are vital to improving emergency responses.

While the District’s focus is maintaining emergency service levels and response times throughout its large service area, the collective effect of statutory budget growth limitations implemented in 2021 and increased operating costs have become even more challenging as the District’s limited budget authority is unable to keep up with the demand for emergency services.

Unlike cities and counties, fire districts are not authorized to charge fees for services and therefore are unable to increase fees to help fill the budgetary gap. Approximately 97% of SFPD’s annual operating income is derived from and relies on property taxes. 

We can all appreciate the attempts and desires to decrease property taxes, unfortunately the impact of such legislation has been devastating to fire and EMS agencies across the State. 

In addition, inflationary increases in operating costs and equipment purchases have also had a negative impact on our annual budgets. The cost of fire equipment and supplies have increased 20% to as much as 100% over the past three years. The District’s current annual operating budget cannot sustain the inflated operating costs and staffing needs to keep our firefighters safe and provide protection of life and property to our community.