One program–we don’t know if any of the locals are going for it or not–has a cutsie name of “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response” (SAFER)program.

A reader directed us to the the Idaho Code and it looks like the cities–not the county holds the high ground in this turf battle.

31-3905. AMBULANCE SERVICE — OPERATION DEPENDENT UPON RESOLUTION OF EACH CITY — RIGHT TO TAX UNAFFECTED BY NONSERVICE. “All cities and villages within the county, upon resolution duly passed and approved and presented to the board of county commissioners, may authorize said ambulance service to operate within the boundaries of said city or village, but the failure of any such governing body to authorize said ambulance service to operate within the
limits of said village or city, shall not affect the right of the board of county commissioners to levy the tax as hereinbefore provided.”

Ada County finally came up with a press release about the EMS proposed ordinance at close of business Monday–a mere 17 hours before the Tuesday Commission meeting and two full weeks after the GUARDIAN broke the story.

Fire chiefs are opposed to the authority sought by EMS and we figure it will end up with either a judicial review or at least an opinion from the Idaho Attorney General. It would be foolhardy to pass the ordinance as it is written.

Here is a direct quote from the release and Director Troy Hagen:

“This ambulance-taxing district means we are required, by law to respond to EVERY emergency medical call no matter where it is in Ada County.”

“On the flip side, a 911-ambulance service provided by a Rural Fire Taxing District is limited to the boundary of the district, not to mention the ambulance service could be considered double taxation since property owners within the fire district would pay both the Rural Fire District Tax and taxes levied by the ambulance taxing district.”

The GUARDIAN suggests that if Kuna and Star wish to pay extra for their own service it would save the Ada EMS a lot of manpower and and expense while providing an increased level of service to residents of those fire districts.

The Ada Sheriff is the supreme lawman of the county, but he gladly steps aside for police departments in Boise, Meridian, and Garden City while providing back up when needed. Residents are double taxed, but they get increased service.

Still looks like a turf battle to us.

In a plan to accommodate future urban sprawl, Boise built a new fire station on Hollandale St. south of Overland Road and Five Mile. It was to be jointly financed by Boise, Whitney, and Ada EMS.

Team Dave politely noted in an end of year spending proposal, “EMS has since elected to not share in the building cost”. No word if they have also “elected to not share in use of the space designed for an ambulance to serve citizens.”

As a result Boise and Whitney will each pony up $186,000 to cover the $372,000 shortfall.

An interesting side note. Boise provides fire services under a contract with the Whitney District, but Whitney actually taxes the patrons of the district MORE than they pay Boise for the services provided. Last time we checked, Whitney was taxing about $200,000 more than they paid Boise.

Under a well intended plan to get medical aid quickly to those in need, three firefighters aboard a $275,000 fire truck respond along with an ambulance on most emergency medical calls. Costly, inefficient, and cause for endless “code 3” responses all over town as one station responds to cover for those not available.

Since fully 70% of all calls are for medical assistance, it seems wasteful to send 100% of the aid in the form of a truck loaded with hose, ladders, and pumps. The fire departments need to be staffed–and equipped–for firefighting, but that duty comprises merely 30% of their actual responses.

The GUARDIAN thinks local fire departments need to rethink their equipment investments. We think in the city of Boise for example, they could purchase 5 medical vans for the cost of a single fire engine. With the capability of transporting patients if needed, these quick response or “squad” cars could supplement the ambulance service in the event of disasters, save wear and tear on pumper trucks, and provide efficient medical service to residents. They could also eliminate the need for county ambulance service within the city.

We figure staffing levels could be increased by 15 firefighters to provide paramedic/firefighter coverage at five stations and cover all shifts. One member of the three-man crew from the pumper could be assigned to the medical response unit, freeing the pumper from responding to medical calls, thus eliminating 70% of the wear and tear on a truck designed to fight fires.

Instead of having a truck with three guys respond to 70% of the alarms (medical) it makes more sense to have the cheaper medical van respond to ALL calls with two firefighters (one would also be a paramedic). That way, the fire truck is not overworked, and if there is an actual fire both the medical van and fire truck respond, which places four people on scene at the outset.

Thursday night’s intense thunderstorm and accompanying winds were not really unusual for Southwest Idaho, but losing homes and risking lives should send a signal to local authorities considering development in lands subject to wildfire.

Three occupied homes and an empty house trailer burned in the Tipanuk (Kuna Pit backwards) settlement just north of I-84 at the first overpass west of Mountain Home. Fire crews from the BLM responded, but could do little to help by the time they arrived. The range fire, caused either by lightning or electrical wires downed by the wind, swept through at 50 mph.

It is a heart-rending experience to watch families sift through the remains of their lives following a tragic fire. Gene Kastner and his two adult sons were remarkably calm and resolute as they tried to salvage “something” from the still hot ashes Friday.

“We lost all our family pictures and everything but the clothes on our backs,” Kastner told the GUARDIAN. He said he lived outside any fire protection district.

Kastner’s plight is similar to thousands of residents in Idaho who choose to live in the wide open spaces. While taxes are low, they don’t have the luxury of big red fire engines and trained firefighters to protect them. Red Cross volunteers were on the scene offering financial and lodging assistance to those who needed it. You can make donations at www.redcrossidaho.org.

Another home near Lucky Peak Dam was also lost to fire as the Hammer Flat area burned.
That area is where the proposed “Cliffs Development” is slated to contribute more than 1,400 homes.

Hidden Springs in the foothills northwest of Boise has a nice fire station, but it is unmanned. Avimor on Highway 55 has no fire station, but got Eagle to annex the acreage. The latest Mayfield Springs proposed development along I-84 is outside any fire district.

Bottom line: developments in areas subject to wildfire are risky, have no municipal water system with hydrants and mains and no full-time fire departments. The low tax rates appeal to buyers and those of us who pay taxes for our fire departments have to provide fire equipment and staff as “mutual aid” for the BLM wildfire crews who don’t have the training or trucks to fight structure fires.

Boise City responds all the time to the area east of Boise where there is no fire district and fires abound. They turned down a request for assistance Thursday on the Hammer Flats fire, but KTVB-7 reported two trucks were eventually dispatched.

A Boise Police officer requested an engine crew from station #5 to respond to the area of 6th and Main where police were confronting an angry crowd after a stabbing at a bar. A GUARDIAN source told us, “He told the cops to go pound sand.” Deputy Fire Chief Dave Hanneman was a little more diplomatic when he said, “We don’t do that, so we said no.”

Police did unleash pepper spray on the angry crowd and marched in skirmish lines pushing the people west of Capitol Boulevard. The GUARDIAN has had reports of “heavy handed tactics” by police who shoved people around.

The daily paper quoted police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower who soft peddled the actions of the officer who requested the fire hoses for crowd control…She thought he was a sergeant or lieutenant.

“He was reaching for options. What is important to note is that it is not an option. It is not something that would have been used. It is way outdated,” said the police spokeswoman. She termed the situation as “desperate” and “scary” and then qualified the remark as TEMPORARILY desperate and scary.

We worry that ANY policeman of any rank would make an urgent call to the fire department without the authority of superiors who all claim they would never approve turning fire hoses on citizens.

If dousing human beings with fire hoses is NOT an option and would never be considered by cops, we hope police commanders are making it clear to the rest of the department that whoever called for firemen used BAD JUDGMENT and violated department chain of command by making a request that was beyond his pay grade.

In summary, if it were not for the good judgment of the Fire Department captain, the inappropriate action would have been taken and both police and fire brass would be defending the actions. No doubt MONEY MAGAZINE would have taken away our #8 ranking as well!!

Boise Dispatch reported 261 illegal fireworks complaints from 8pm to 1:30 a.m. Overall there were 400 calls for service during the five hour period. There were 31 fire calls and 19 medical assist calls.
Total calls for the day numbered 2,477–a 1,766 jump over last year.

Based on comparision with 2005, we would have to call the enforcement effort a resounding failure. Even with all the media play, TV ads starring Mayor Dave Bieter, and threats of tickets, there were nearly as many fire calls in 5 hours as there were during the entire 24 hour period a year ago. The Boise sky was filled with illegal fireworks. Spent bottle rockets in our yard and a casual view over the valley on the 4th, prompts us to say there were more illegal fireworks than ever.

Boise Fire Department Deputy Chief Dave Hanneman said the department will evaluate the enforcement efforts and costs and pass the data along to the City’s decision makers. The prolonged thunderstorm probably did more to put a damper on wild and crazy fireworks fires than all the tickets in the world.

Bieter has not taken a raise since he was elected two and a half years ago. His salary is $91,229 a year. If he wants to make big bucks he should get on the fire department where top managers make up to seven grand more than the mayor.

Last week both the union and city council approved a pay schedule that offers starting firefighters what union president Tom Lovell calls “wages and benefits adequate to support members.”

We haven’t seen any substantive reports in the main stream media, but there is little doubt the current fire budget of $31.7 million budget will be bumped up to cover 3% annual wage hikes and increased benefits.

Starting firefighters are paid $38,412 annually and senior firefighter drivers top out at $55,764.

Captains–the guys who ride shotgun on the truck and generally boss the three man crews–make between $62,280 and $64, 416 a year.

Battalion Chiefs generally are in charge of half of the men and stations during any shift. They are management supervisors and decision makers, but according to the contract they belong to the same union as those they supervise and make $68,856.

The fire chief salary is $95,016. There are four deputy chiefs with salaries ranging from $94, 716 to $97632. One of the deputies makes more than his boss the chief.

The GUARDIAN offers up the fact on this one and makes no judgments.

About 3,000 residents voted in Eagle in the primary, but the permanent Fire override tax levy had fewer than 300 ballots cast. Final tally was 210 in favor and 85 against.

There are 7 polling places in Eagle where people voted in the primary election on candidates for congress, legislature and county offices. Fire commissioners offered only a single location–Fire Station #1– to cast a ballot on the tax override which increased property taxes for everyone.

Eagle Fire Chief Dan Friend defended the single polling place saying, legal notices were posted in the local newspaper and he had spoken to various groups about the measure. He also cited costs of election workers at about $700 per precinct as being a factor in the decision to limit voting to just one location.

The GUARDIAN feels there was unnecessary confusion Tuesday. People simply should not have to drive all over town to vote on each issue. If 7 precincts is appropriate for a primary election, those same 7 precincts are appropriate for an important permanent tax increase.

In their defense, firefighters passed out printed information prior to the election informing people of the single polling place. We think it was inadequate and inappropriate to expect people to make a second trip to vote after voting for primary candidates.

Ada County Clerk and chief county election officer David Navarro agreed with the GUARDIAN saying, “It only makes sense to vote in the same place on the same day. We would have been happy to partner with them so people could vote with just one trip to the polls.”

“There was definite confusion for voters, but Fire Districts conduct their own elections and I absolutely respect that law,” concluded Navarro.

Bottom line: fewer than 10% of the people who ACTUALLY VOTED were able to raise the taxes for 100% of the property owners. The Fire District woul have made a good investment if the voters had the convenience of voting at each of the 7 precincts. Voters got burned.

About 3,000 residents voted in Eagle in the primary, but the permanent Fire override tax levy had fewer than 300 ballots cast. Final tally was 210 in favor and 85 against.

There are 7 polling places in Eagle where people voted in the primary election on candidates for congress, legislature and county offices. Fire commissioners offered only a single location–Fire Station #1– to cast a ballot on the tax override which increased property taxes for everyone.

Eagle Fire Chief Dan Friend defended the single polling place saying, legal notices were posted in the local newspaper and he had spoken to various groups about the measure. He also cited costs of election workers at about $700 per precinct as being a factor in the decision to limit voting to just one location.

The GUARDIAN feels there was unnecessary confusion Tuesday. People simply should not have to drive all over town to vote on each issue. If 7 precincts is appropriate for a primary election, those same 7 precincts are appropriate for an important permanent tax increase.

In their defense, firefighters passed out printed information prior to the election informing people of the single polling place. We think it was inadequate and inappropriate to expect people to make a second trip to vote after voting for primary candidates.

Ada County Clerk and chief county election officer David Navarro agreed with the GUARDIAN saying, “It only makes sense to vote in the same place on the same day. We would have been happy to partner with them so people could vote with just one trip to the polls.”

“There was definite confusion for voters, but Fire Districts conduct their own elections and I absolutely respect that law,” concluded Navarro.

Bottom line: fewer than 10% of the people who ACTUALLY VOTED were able to raise the taxes for 100% of the property owners. The Fire District woul have made a good investment if the voters had the convenience of voting at each of the 7 precincts. Voters got burned.