Lake County Fire District is looking to get Measure D passed to receive increased funding. Knowing popular aversion to any tax hike, they are approaching the process in a unique way: communicating with the public.
Measure D will allow the Fire District to increase staffing to help maintain its current services it provides, be able to staff the Lower Lake Fire Station 24 hours a day, decrease the response time and increase in equipment which will assist in lowering fire insurance premiums.
For the Fire District to receive the funds, the Measure is asking for an increase in the Fire Fees on property tax bills. This will be taken out in the same time and manner of the current annual property tax.
This measure will go on the ballot on March 7, 2017 and if passed will start being implemented by July 1, 2017. The last tax to be put in place for the Fire District was in 1997, since then there has been no increase.
On Thursday firefighters stopped for lunch at the Senior Center in Clearlake.
Zach Pindell, paramedic for the Fire District and speaker at the Senior Center, said currently the Fire District is operating understaffed and cannot respond as quickly as they should to calls.
“We will be able to reduce our respond time and be there quicker when you need us,” Pindell said.
Pindell said if the Measure does not pass, in the next 18 months or couple years the District could potentially be downsizing the staff and limiting other services they offer.
“We went from receiving 1,100 calls a year, to 5,200 calls,” Pindell said. “Not all are 911 calls, some are assistance. I can’t stress enough the investment for my personnel.”
Fire Chief Willie Sapeta said with an increase in calls by 200 percent the need for extra staff has become crucial to the Fire District.
“I have been with this department for over 30 years and seen this community change drastically,” Sapeta said. “It is important we get the additional personnel to get the Lower Lake Fire Station staffed and decrease our respond time.”
Other services the District will be able to continue to offer through the Measure are fire prevention demos for school, student athletic programs, emergency management, car seat clinics and disaster preparedness.
The Fire District will hold future information meetings for the Measure D and what it entails. The first will be at the Clearlake City hall on Feb. 6 and the next at The Brick Hall in Lowerlake on Feb. 13. Both meetings will be at 6 p.m.
