Proposal will appear on the August 1, 2023, primary election ballot

BRUSH PRAIRIE  — The Clark County Fire District 3 Board of Fire Commissioners passed a resolution to place a fire levy lid lift on the August 1, 2023, primary election ballot. The lid lift would fund additional personnel to respond to higher call volumes and meet industry best practices. It would also fund the renovation of Station 34 to provide 24-hour staffing to reduce response times.

“Our current staffing model prevents us from entering buildings unless another engine company is on scene,” Fire Chief Scott Sorenson said. “This is not in line with industry best practices and can delay our response. The additional staffing will allow us to meet the emergency service level needs of our growing community.”

State code requires four firefighters on scene to carry out interior structural fire operations. Currently, the district’s two-person engine companies require another engine company on scene before interior fire operations or rescues can occur. If there is a known rescue situation where immediate action could prevent the loss of life or serious injury, firefighters can take such rescue action if there are at least three firefighters present and equipped to provide emergency assistance or rescue of the team.

If approved by voters, the fire levy lid lift would allow for three-person engine companies, which is the industry best practice for fire districts the size of Fire District 3. This means that rescue operations can be initiated (with a three-person engine company) and interior fire operations can start with just one more firefighter arriving in a smaller vehicle, which is more cost-effective.

The lid lift will also fund technical training (swift water, high angles and ropes) to decrease the reliance on outside agency help, which takes longer to reach people in an emergency. It will fund the remodel of Station 34 in the Rawson Road/Elkhorn/Summer Hill area to provide full-time 24-hour staffing to reduce response times. Additionally, the lid lift will replace a fire engine, ambulance and other smaller equipment that have reached the end of their usable lives.

The fire levy lid lift is $0.29 per $1,000 of assessed property value and will cost an additional $12.08 per month or $145 per year for the owner of a $500,000 home.

Clark County Fire District 3 provides fire and life safety services to 46,000 people in east Clark County, including the city of Battle Ground. Fifty-seven full-time and 10 volunteer emergency personnel responded to 4,917 calls in 2022. Fire District 3 operates under a balanced budget and has a long history of passing its financial and accountability audits by the state. More information on Fire District 3 can be found on its website www.fire3.org.

Information provided by Clark County Fire District 3.