My turn: Why we oppose the fire district levy

The Northern Lakes Fire Protective District (NLFPD) has recently held several “informational” meetings regarding the upcoming tax override election on May 15. As residents of the “back” side of Hayden Lake it was disheartening to learn that the proposal would have absolutely no benefit to us, but would increase our tax assessments to the district by almost 50 percent!

Under ideal circumstances the response time to any fire or medical emergency in our neighborhood would be at least 25-30 minutes, despite the fact that the district has an unmanned fire station (NLFPD Station No. 5) at the end of Mokins Bay. This station was built shortly following the annexation of our area into the NLFPD in 1998. It is a well planned, well built, and modestly equipped station, but despite having living quarters for at least four firefighters, the station remains unstaffed and has only one volunteer who works nearby. Justifiably, the NLFPD does not man the station due to the low call volume.

The reason for writing this column is to focus on the use of volunteers in the NLFPD. It was alarming to learn at the informational meeting that there are at present, fewer than 10 volunteers in the entire NLFPD. This in a district that was originally an all-volunteer district!

In April 2003, a group of us, who reside near Station No. 5, were recruited to become volunteers for the NLFPD. The intent was to provide an “initial response team” for emergencies in our neighborhood and to assist the paid professional career firefighters and EMTs of NLFPD. Initially, the volunteer training was monitored by then fire marshal Dean Marcus (our current fire chief). Shortly thereafter, a retired fire captain from a large metropolitan fire department joined our ranks as a volunteer. In addition to his extensive experience he was also a college instructor of fire science. He volunteered to train us and did so with the permission and approval of the 2003 fire chief of NLFPD.

Despite the fact that most of us were retired senior citizens, we held weekly training sessions, usually on Saturdays, since other commitments precluded weekday (or night) sessions. We trained in most phases of firefighting including operation and maintenance of the three apparatus (fire engine, water tender, and brush truck) at our station. We trained on, operated, maintained all the ancillary equipment associated with firefighting. We learned low angle rescue techniques and proper care of the station and its equipment. We held fundraisers which provided money for the purchase of equipment and supplies, and we did all the maintenance at the station, keeping trucks ready to go at all times. We had a core group of volunteers who responded to calls with the NLFPD at all times of the day and night.

In addition to our local training sessions we also attended many of the district-wide training sessions including those in Emergency Vehicle Operation Certification, Wildland Firefighting, Ice Rescue Training, Low Angle Cliff Rescue, and basic HazMat awareness, to name a few. We believed ourselves to be a valuable asset to the NLFPD, and established a camaraderie among ourselves and a good relationship with the professional career firefighters in the district.

Unfortunately, and for reasons unknown to us, drastic changes began to occur in the NLFPD: Fire chiefs were hired and then fired, and a major turnover among the district commissioners occurred. We became an afterthought to the district. We were not provided with mechanical repairs to our equipment in a timely manner, nor were we provided with equipment necessary to perform our jobs in a professional manner.

A glaring and unfortunate example of the latter was that despite being trained in ice rescue for several years, repeated requests for ice rescue suits and equipment were denied, despite the fact that Mokins Bay freezes over practically every year. Tragically, a life was lost a few years ago when a man fell through the ice in the bay — within shouting distance of Station No. 5. Most requests for training and equipment were ignored or we were “stonewalled.” The district demanded that we attended district-wide volunteer meetings on Thursday evenings which for most of us was not a possibility. And despite repeated requests by us to have our mentor continue to train us locally (at the direction of the NLFPD training officer), they refused our requests. As a result our once-proud and dedicated volunteer group disbanded, and our neighbors are once again faced with lengthy response times for emergencies in our area.

It is inconceivable to us that anyone in this district could vote in favor of this override levy. This tax increase will only benefit a “select few.” The district is proposing the construction of yet another fire station (they currently have six to eight stations) despite the continued assertion that theirs is a “frugal” fire district. To our way of thinking, the most frugal thing they could do is to again establish groups of volunteers who are uniquely aware of the need of the residents in their area and who can provide advance assistance for the professional career firefighters in the district. JOIN US IN VOTING NO ON THE NLFPD OVERIDE LEVY ON MAY 15!

Len Bassett

Lee Coppess

Harry Hanes

Dave Lyon

Tony Venturino

(Former volunteers, NLFPD Station No. 5)