Five firetrucks, 9 firefighters Valley to add 9 firefighters, 5 firetrucks

Next year, the Spokane Valley Fire Department will add nine firefighter positions and take advantage of more than $2 million in new equipment outlined in the department’s 2007 budget, which was approved Monday.

Five firetrucks and protective gear for firefighters were among the items on order after a special levy approved by more than 70 percent of voters in March.

“I think people understand we are pretty responsible with their dollar,” Fire Commissioner Joe Dawson said after Monday’s meeting.

The district plans to draw from $24.5 million in revenues in 2007. Of that, $9.7 million comes from the district’s regular property tax levy and $11.7 million comes from the special levy that comes up for a vote every three years.

Next year, Valley Fire also will receive $400,000 in back taxes from formerly bankrupt Kaiser Aluminum after a settlement between the company and Spokane County in June. Money from fees, investments and other assets makes up the remainder of the revenues.

The district plans to use that money to acquire property for fire stations, said Fire Chief Mike Thompson. Eventually a new station will need to be added to the 10 already in place, and at some point the department will have to look at the capacity of Station 9 on 16th Avenue and Station 3 in Liberty Lake.

The number of emergencies the department handles has consistently gone up in recent years.

In 2005, calls increased by 7.5 percent over the previous year. Thompson said this year will likely see a 5 percent increase.

“A lot of it has to do with the growth that we’ve been having,” he said.

The department plans to hire 18 new people next year to help answer those calls. Nine recruits will fill new positions funded by the special levy. Others will replace firefighters who have retired or been called to military service.

Two firefighters took military leave this year and two or three more are expected to take it next year, Thompson said.

Initially, the department wanted to add 12 firefighter positions but scaled back its plans after the estimated costs for medical insurance next year jumped by about 50 percent.

A new swift-water rescue program and additional training also were cut back to accommodate the health care expenses, but fire commissioners said Monday they might be able to reinstate them if their insurance outlook improves next year.