Clark County District 6 hopes to renew 2020 levy to relieve firefighters

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - A fire district in Clark County is asking for help to relieve their firefighters.

Clark County Fire District 6 is growing exponentially and Chief Kristan Maurer says they’re trying to keep up. Last year they responded to almost 12,000 calls in their 37-square-foot service area.

She said their call volume has gone up 33% in the last five years, and it’s taking a toll.

“Firefighters work a 24-hour shift and in that 24-hour shift, depending on the station they’re at, but it’s pretty uncommon for them to get any sort of long-term rest,” Maurer said. “So, we’re having people respond to calls that have a lack of sleep, they’re worn out and all of that decreases firefighter safety, it makes it a more dangerous place for them, it makes it more dangerous for the community.”

Now the district is asking for financial assistance to help alleviate that pressure.

“With that 33% increase, we need to put more firefighters on the road, we need to put more engines and response units on the road,” Maurer said.

Back in 2020, voters approved a levy that gave the fire district $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed home value which is the rate that was needed to meet the budget at the time.

The fire district is asking their fire commissioners to renew that $1.50 levy so people living in the district can vote on it again on the August 6 ballot. If it goes to the ballot and voters approve the proposal, the additional costs to an owner of $350,000 would be less than $10 a month.

Maurer said this money would also go towards some important improvements.

“We need a maintenance facility for our apparatus. We currently don’t have a shop to service our apparatus that’s adequate. Although most of our stations are updated, and we did that with the levy funding from 2020, we need to update more stuff to make them truly essential facilities, like fuel stations, generator replacements,” she said.

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