As members of the Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department and the Meyersville Volunteer Fire Department, we would like to introduce ourselves and ask for your support in creating an emergency service district in Washington County to serve your community better.
WHAT is an Emergency Service District?
Emergency Service Districts are local political subdivisions of the State created through public elections that provide fire, rescue, EMS, and other emergency services directly OR through contracts to help fund local fire and EMS departments.
ESDs are governed by a board of five commissioners who are most often appointed by the County, except in multi-county or specific counties (e.g., Harris), which are run by elected boards.
ESDs are primarily funded by property taxes of $0.10 per $100 of property valuation as determined by the constitution.
EXAMPLE: On a $250,000 assessed value home, the property owner would pay $250 on their county tax bill for the ESD's $0.10 per $100 tax rate.
WHAT is the point?
FUNDING:
ESDs provide a reliable funding source for local fire and EMS services rather than depending on inconsistent revenue sources such as fundraisers, campaign letters, grants, etc.
ECONOMIC:
ESDs spread the cost of vitals emergency services among all tax-payers within the district, and ensure ALL constituents may depend on reliable services when needed.
COMMUNITIES:
ESDs may work with existing volunteer fire departments or other entities that have full time fire & emergency personnel to provide services to the district’s constituents, helping local departments do what they do without the added stress of financial and organizational pressures.
BENEFITS:
The formation of an ESD may also result in a better Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating within the ESD’s service area and therefore may provide lower insurance premiums for businesses and homeowners in that area.
THE DEPARTMENTS!
Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Was created in 1974.
Currently serving a 100 square mile district with over 5,000 citizens within the district!
Currently is being run by Fire Chief Michael Kmiec
Is also made up of approximately 20 volunteers which includes, Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Captains, Firefighters, and general members.
Meyersville Volunteer Fire Department
Was created in 1982.
Currently serving a 47 square mile district with over 2,100 citizens within the district!
Currently is being run by Fire Chief Trey Burleson
Is also made up of approximately 19 volunteers which includes, Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Lieutenants, Firefighters and general members.
Call Volume Data
In 2020 both departments responded to a combined total of 117 calls for service.
In 2021 both departments responded to a combined total of 194 calls for service.
In 2022 both departments responded to a combined total of 365 calls for service.
In 2023 both departments responded to a combined total of 243 calls for service.
So Far, in 2024 both departments have ran a total of 80 calls for service.
On average the most calls these departments respond to are associated with motor vehicle accidents, grass fires, and structure fires.
They also respond to vehicle fires, hazmat calls, fire alarms, rescue incidents, and many more.
Response Times
Chappell Hill:
Current Average Response Time:
14 Minutes & 45 Seconds
Average Truck Turnout Time:
9 Minutes & 21 seconds (This is the average time it takes for a firefighting Apparatus to leave the fire station)
Working Response Time Goal:
12 Minutes
Staff Delay:
98% of the calls had a delayed turnout time due to no staff being at the station.
Average Time Spent On Calls:
1 Hour / 22 Minutes / 19 Seconds
Meyersville:
Current Average Response Time:
15 Minutes & 41 Seconds
Average Truck Turnout Time:
6 Minutes & 31 Seconds
Working Response Time:
8 Minutes
Staff Delay:
98% of the calls had a delayed turnout time due to no staff being at the station.
Average Time Spent On Calls:
2 Hours / 22 Minutes / 42 Seconds
Ideal Response
Structure Fire:
1 Engine with 4 Personnel
1 Tender with 2 Personnel
Chief/Incident Commander
Suggested Requirements
13-16 Personnel
2 Engines
1 Truck/Rescue
Incident Commander
Safety Officer
Rapid Intervention Team (RIT)
Grass Fire:
1-2 Brush Trucks with 2-4 Personnel
1 Tender with 2 Personnel
1 Chief/Incident Commander
Car Fire:
1 Engine with 4 personnel
1 Tender with 2 personnel
Crash with & without Entrapment:
1 Rescue with 4 personnel
1 Engine with 4 personnel
1 Tender with 2 personnel
1 Incident Commander or Fire Chief
Automatic Fire Alarm:
1 Engine with 4 personnel
Smoke Investigation:
1 Booster with 2 personnel
Illegal Burning:
1 Booster with 2 personnel
Where are we going? How do we get there?
Chappell Hill VFD Needs
1-2 Goals:
Replace Brush Truck
Initiate a fleet replacement plan.
Replace Water Tender Truck
Initiate a fleet replacement plan.
Replace Emergency Life Saving Equipment & PPE
Purchase a SCBA Washing System
Cover Operational Costs
Total: $640,102
3-5 Year Goals:
Retrofit SCBA's to meet new NFPA Compliance
Replace Emergency Life Saving Equipment & PPE
Station Improvements & Add Living Quarters
Hire 2 Paid Duty Crew Personnel
Cover Operational Costs
Total: $1,002,665
6-10 Year Goals:
Potentially Purchase Land For Station #2
Cover Operational Costs
Total: $1,895,112
Everything that is listed here is subject to change. Inflation costs along with ESD income and other department needs will all be a factor into these different items being accomplished. Both departments will be collaborating with one another to determine who has a bigger need at the time to ensure both agencies are taken care of. Operational Budgets are included in these numbers as these are capital needs/Expenditures.
Strategic Needs & Goals
Approximate Minimum Cost for Chappell Hill VFD
over 10 years is $3,537,879
Cost of vehicles & apparatus continue to rise due to manufacturing, emissions standards, & supply shortages
Expired & outdated gear and equipment puts first responders in danger, and may cost someone their life.
New Radios & Tech allow for inter-agency cooperation and communication, and keep first responders safe.
Outdated and worn-out Engines & Apparatus can’t meet the needs of growing territories, and represent continuous repair costs and safety hazards
Recommendation is to replace them after 15 years [ours are at least 19 years old]
Potential Revenues Of WC ESD 1
As of the year 2024, the Chappell Hill and Meyersville VFD Combined could have potentially brought in $1,052,140 on an annual basis.
This is calculated by the total market value on the property minus the agriculture exemption on properties listed in the response district.
If the property has agriculture exemption that also plays a factor into the amount above.
Here is an example:
Market Value: $1,000,000
Ag Exemption: $750,000
Remaining Taxable Value for the ESD is $250,000.
If you take $250,000 and multiply it by 0.0010 that would equal $250.
That property owner would only pay $250 a year to the ESD for fire protection service.
These numbers do change based on fluctuations of the assessed market values of homes within the proposed district.
Other potential revenue may also exist if a sales and use tax is levied by the district.
Property Tax Exemptions
ESD's do have the ability to offer different types of exemptions to property owners that live within the proposed district.
Homestead: An ESD may offer a maximum 20% exemption on taxable home values for Homesteaders, which may not be claimed on parts of property already subject to agricultural exemptions
Disability: An ESD may offer tax exemptions based on an individual’s disability status, which may be combined with homestead exemptions for the same individual, but may not be combined with Age status
Age (over 65): An ESD may offer tax exemptions for individuals over the age of 65, which may be combined with homestead exemptions for the same individual, but may not be combined with Disability
What's the point & Where is your benefit?
The ESD would provide FUNDING to repair, update, or replace aging apparatuses.
Repairs are $$$! To replace the pump on booster truck the average cost is between $7-$12k
Current trucks hold little to no resale value, and are expensive to replace.
It will allow for ECONOMIC replacement of apparatuses on a scheduled basis, reducing unexpected needs and repairs.
ISO and NFPA suggest front line apparatuses be replaced after 15 years.
Allows for standardizing equipment across all engines for better interoperability, set up & function in emergencies.
Provide funding for land purchases & building and remodeling fire stations to better serve the COMMUNITY, and meet the needs of firefighters and staff.
(Sleeping quarters, showers, equipment storage, workout and meeting rooms, etc.)
It will help with the development of a volunteer retention program to recruit new volunteers & members, as well as potentially gaining paid personnel to staff stations during the day when volunteer levels are low, further reducing response times in emergency.
Both of the agencies involved have thought about this process long and hard. Volunteer rates are continuously diminishing and in this kind of economy it is very difficult for people to do things for free.
In 2020, there were 676,900 volunteer firefighters in the United States this accounted for 65% of all fire departments in the US.
There was an approximate 6.3% reduction in volunteer firefighters from 2019 to 2020.
That number above equals to about 13,538 firefighters per state.
We are asking for the communities help in achieving this ESD. Not only will it benefit the fire departments with having the funding they need but it will also benefit you with faster response times, better equipment when firefighters show up, reliable Apparatus, and potentially a reduction in your insurance rates.
Please show your support for your local VFD's and SIGN THE PETETION and vote for the ESD to pass.
If you would like to sign the petition please reach out to us and we will meet with you to get your signature!
If you have any questions related to the ESD please send an email to the email address listed below.
Our ESD committee will gladly reach out to you and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you.
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