By Russ Locatelli
Eureka Times Standard (California)
Copyright 2006 Times - Standard
All Rights Reserved
The Arcata Firefighter Employees Association is asking for your support to pass the district’s proposed benefit assessment. We are a committed group of district residents answering your calls for service and emergencies. The proposal will improve your safety and our effectiveness by staffing two fire stations and replacing obsolete equipment.
The plan is simply to staff two fire stations, one in McKinleyville and one in Arcata, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year, with two firefighters per station. Two firefighters per station is a bare minimum to establish a response with some effectiveness. Additionally, we must start to replace our aged, unreliable and costly fire engines. The numerous breakdowns and worn-out parts are a constant problem which can hinder our response and are not cost effective to operate.
The benefit assessment is an equitable method for the communities to come together and assess themselves an annual tax to improve their fire protection. The funds generated will be governed by your publicly elected board of directors. The funds will stay solely within our fire department that is dedicated to serving you. As a taxpayer, you can actually see and feel the results of your dollars every time you drive by or visit one of our fire stations. You will find the equipment ready to respond to your needs and the firefighters on duty dedicated to your safety.
Our firefighters (career and volunteer) spend countless hours training for fire suppression, rescue and disaster response. We always respond as quickly as we can when called upon. But to improve our response times and public safety, our communities need to have a second fire station staffed. We are tasked with protecting approximately 35,500 people within 63 square miles and over $1.8 billion of private property.
The Arcata Fire Protection District has not had a tax rate increase in 20 years, while our communities continue to grow and develop in population and construction. The calls for service have increased 315 percent within this time frame. Our fire department must increase its staffing and update the equipment to be ready to meet these new challenges.
Our volunteers are a proud group of firefighters dedicated to serve the public, but must be supplemented with career firefighters to enhance their services and our overall effectiveness. Our blend of personnel keeps the costs down to the taxpayers.
Please vote “Yes” for our proposed benefit assessment. Our communities of McKinleyville, Manila, Bayside, Jacoby Creek and Arcata must have a strong firefighting force to protect their safety, valuables and resources.
Russ Locatelli is president of the Arcata Fire District Employees Association.