By Duane W. Gang
The Press Enterprise
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Riverside County Fire Department is considering new fees to help recover costs and overcome a $4.3 million budget shortfall, Chief John Hawkins said.
At the request of the Board of Supervisors in January, the department analyzed its current fees and surveyed those in six other counties and 10 cities.
The study goes before supervisors Tuesday, when they are expected to decide whether to tell the Fire Department to move forward in creating a new set of fees.
Hawkins said the fundamental question in deciding whether to charge extra is what constitutes “above and beyond” the basic services residents expect from their property taxes.
“The elected officials provide us policy direction,” Hawkins said in an interview. “This analysis is the first step.”
In addition to eyeing new fees, Hawkins said he hopes the department can boost collection efforts.
Over the past year, the county has charged $1.3 million for various incidents but received $830,000, a 64 percent recovery rate, according to the study.
“I think we do well on fires and extremely well on hazardous materials (cost) recovery,” Hawkins said. “I think 75 percent would be a reasonable target.”
If an individual or company does not pay, Hawkins said, the department determines whether it is cost effective to turn the matter over to a collection agency. The county also can go to court to collect, he added.
Hawkins said the county’s analysis found wide disparity on what others charge.
The department could impose fees on everything from repeated false fire alarms to paramedic services and traffic collisions where there are vehicle code violations.
Other agencies, including some in San Bernardino and Ventura counties, already charge residents to help offset what it costs for their fire departments to respond. For instance, San Bernardino County charges $900 for a fifth false alarm in a one-year period.
Ventura County bills for all fire code violations and charges utilities for fires causes by faulty wires, according to Riverside County’s study.
Other agencies, such as the city of Norco, offer a nominal voluntary annual fee for paramedic and ambulance services. But households that don’t pay but need paramedic services are billed for the actual costs, the county’s study found.
San Bernardino County fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez said the cost-recovery efforts have proved successful.
She said the department does not try to charge average residents for services.
“Our recovery fees are for illegal activities,” she said. “Even the false alarm. There are warnings before you are going to get a bill. If your alarm goes off once a week, there is a problem.”
Martinez said the department hasn’t seen a backlash from residents. The money helps offset expenses the department should not have to spend, she said.
Hemet Fire Department also charges for false alarms and other services, such as traffic accident cleanups.
The city has about a 60 percent recovery rate, said Bill Whealan, deputy chief of operations. In December, the City Council gave approval for a new fee to help offset the costs when the department responds to water line breaks at homes, he said.
On false alarms, Whealan said the city is not out to “kill everybody financially” and can waive the fee for small businesses or others struggling with money.
“If it’s a big company, and we have repeat offenders, they have enough money to maintain their systems,” he said.
Just as important, the $100 fee has encouraged business owners to make sure their alarms are in working order, Whealan said.
As for traffic accident cleanup and water line breaks, the department will seek to recover costs from insurance companies, he said. “We don’t go after the individuals.”
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