Snohomish Regional Fire’s newest truck is especially for technical rescues, such as pulling people out of tight spaces.
SVI Trucks
MONROE — On Tuesday Nov. 17, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue presented at the City Council meeting to inform council members of its budget proposal for 2021. The Monroe City Council does not have authority to approve the budget proposal, but since the fire district operates in the city, they wanted to keep the council in the know.
Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue took 14,104 calls from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31 this year. At the beginning of the pandemic, there were less calls due to individuals being concerned by interacting with others and leaving their houses, but according to Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue’s Public Information Officer, Heather Chadwick, the district is on track for call volume as of year to date.
A breakdown of the calls to date are: 58.70% EMS, 19.99% Non-Emergency Incidents, 7.84% Fire, 6.99% Canceled En Route, 4.77% Other, 1.61% Motor Vehicle Collisions, 0.09% Special Operations.
There have been 2,116 calls to date inside the city of Monroe.
The average response times for fire stations 31, 32, and 33 around Monroe are: 5.01 minutes for call processing, 2.16 minutes for turnout time, and 11.01 minutes for travel time.
Snohomish Regional Fire falls under a junior taxing district, which means they are not part of county or city limits. As a result, they receive its funding via property taxes, as well as fire and emergency medical service (EMS) levies.
The district had already presented its 2021 budget proposal to its board of commissioners on Nov. 12.
The reason for the new budget proposal stems from the merging of Lake Stevens Fire and Snohomish County Fire District 7, which occurred on Jan. 1.
“2020 has been a year of growth for us,” Chadwick said.
In the process of planning its budget, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue looked at property taxes, which can fluctuate depending on the state of the economy. In addition, they plan ahead when it comes to expensive repairs, and look into areas where financial downsizing can occur.
The district has already reduced costs in training and travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, employees travel to attend conferences where they exchange tips and knowledge on safety practices to bring back home.
Several challenges were created for the district due to COVID-19, “but we’re still strong, and over the last few months our teams have been meeting virtually to build this plan,” Chadwick said.
The primary cost of the 2021 proposed budget will cater towards the district’s personnel; the second focus will be on supplies such as bunker gear, tools, and apparatuses.
“We focus our attention on fiscal responsibility and operate under a balanced budget so we are not exceeding what we forecast from property taxes,” explained Chadwick. She went on to mention that the district is responsible in terms of being mindful of their taxpayers, and not seeking to overspend.
