Post Falls Fire Officials Say Growth Justifies Budget

Deputy Fire Chief Dan Ryan remembers the day a few years back when he watched a barn burn down on the prairie while his fire engines were battling brush fires south of the Spokane River.

“I could see the fire from where we were standing on West Riverview Drive,” Ryan said Tuesday from the kitchen of the Post Falls Fire District’s only station.

That barn fire is just one example of how growth has challenged firefighters in recent years.

Growth in the district is the main reason the budget has increased dramatically since 1989, fire officials said.

They won’t apologize for their $1.05 million budget, even though Concerned Businesses of North Idaho asked them to cut it last week.

“Most of the other taxing districts in the county have been really responsive to the taxpayers and understood that taxpayers feel it’s time to stop the growth in taxes,” said Washington Water Power area manager Paul Anderson, a board member of Concerned Businesses.

The fire district’s budget is increasing almost 11 percent over last year, or $104,000. Though the increase is OK under new state tax regulations, Concerned Businesses says it violates the intent of the law.

“In six years, that’s a 420 percent increase,” said Pat Raffee, executive director of Concerned Businesses. “I ask anybody to find any indicator that would match that increase.”

In 1989, the fire district’s budget was $194,000. That year, the fire department was nearly all volunteer and only got 258 calls.

Last year, the district handled 680 calls, and already this year it’s had about 400 calls. The types of calls have evolved, too. Fire departments respond to a wide variety of emergency situations.

The population has increased 2-1/2 times, and the property values in the district have almost tripled since 1989.

During the same period, the allvolunteer force became impractical as employers grew more unwilling to let volunteer firefighters leave work.

“The chief got tired of going to fires by himself during the day,” Ryan said.

Now the station has six full-time firefighters who cover the day shift. Volunteers fill in at nights and on weekends.

The new budget includes funding for an additional firefighter and a training officer, as well as $150,000 for capital expenses.

Those capital expenses include payment on property in east Post Falls for a new fire station, a new fire engine and a new rescue truck.

The new equipment and two new stations are crucial for maintaining and improving the district’s fire rating, fire officials said. If the rating deteriorates, that means higher fire insurance costs for homeowners and especially businesses.

“Where are you going to get your best return?” Ryan asked. “If you pay it to your fire district, at least you’ve got something to show for your money.”

Although the fire district’s budget has been approved by the fire commissioners, it still needs the final approval of the county commissioners. That’s expected to happen next month.

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