The Lake City Fire District has not had a fire fee increase since 1999, leading to financial strain. During a recent meeting, the fire district presented this to the Public service committee of the Craighead County Quorum Court to ask for revision to the rates to make them the same as other fire protection districts in the area.

Fire fees are $35 per year for residents within the fire district living outside city limits. The Lake City Fire District is asking for this fee to be increased to $75 per year to match other fire districts in the area and help finance a new fire truck.

Lake City Fire Chief Hunter Timms said turnout prices inflated after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fire department felt the effect.

“We’re running off the same budget we’ve had since 1999, and we’re just struggling to get by, keep upgrading things, and keep our guys in new turnouts,” Timms said.

Turnout gear is the protective clothing firefighters wear during fire suppression to shield themselves from fire and other hazards. According to a price breakdown of the department’s expenses given during the meeting, one set of turnout gear costs $4,500. The price includes boots, pants, a jacket, a face mask, gloves, and helmets.

Timms said the department has 27 firefighters whose gear must be replaced every 10 years to stay in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Insurance companies may refuse to provide coverage if the department is out of compliance with these safety standards.

Timms said that out-of-compliance firefighters are not covered under NFPA life insurance policies. “Those guys go out there trying to put a house fire out, a wreck, or a car, and none of their turnouts are up to date. The state does not have their fire insurance, so their families don’t get that coverage,” Timms said.

He said costs add up quickly.

The price breakdown also included average costs for self-contained breathing apparatus that must be replaced every 20 years. In addition, hose replacements, firetrucks, fire station maintenance, utilities for both Lake City and Dixie departments and substations, medical supplies, and utilities must be addressed yearly.

However, Timms said the price for a standard fire truck has doubled since they last purchased one for $214,00 in 2015.
He said since 2009, the department has lowered the county residences Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating from a nine to a five. Residences receive an ISO rating based on the fire protection services the local fire department provides. This rating is a scale from one to 10, with one being the best and 10 being the worst. Insurance companies use this rating to help determine home insurance rates, with lower ratings generally leading to lower premiums.

“That’s a 37% savings that we’re saving these people on their homeowner’s insurance for years,” Timms said. “If we don’t keep updating and replacing these things at the next ISO inspection we have, we could go down, and then that would cost them money out of their pocket, that additional payment on their home market.”

The Lake City Fire District also provides services to Dixie, an unincorporated area. The meeting concluded with a need for further discussion and an ordinance to formalize any changes.

In other business, Brian Reed and Tyler Watkins were appointed to the Nursing Center Board.