Questions & Answers

Southern Dallas County Fire was established in 1988 as a tax-based Missouri Fire Protection District. Within a few years, a 4,500 square-foot fire station – currently known as Station 1 on Red Top Road – was constructed. At that time, it is estimated that the District had about 200-250 addresses. Over the years, the District has seen substantial growth. Today, we have approximately 1,450 addresses. While we have tried to keep up with the increase in population and construction development, the 35-year-old facility we currently have is no longer sufficient to accommodate the level of equipment and apparatus we need to service the District. Additionally, it is our goal to have full-time, 24/7 staff coverage, which will require sleeping quarters for the staff members. Currently, there is no space to accommodate this. Thus, we intend to use the proceeds from the two-million dollar bond measure to accomplish the following:

1. Construct an 8,500 square-foot addition on Station 1, adding three more apparatus bays, as well as a community room, sleeping rooms, exercise room, multiple storage rooms, a kitchen, offices, sheriff’s substation room, and more. This will also create an opportunity for an ambulance service to house an ambulance and crew at our station.
2. Renovate the existing building (Station 1) with much needed updates and repairs.
3. Construct new Station 3, located at 1954 South Ash Street (the old L&F Truck Stop), giving the northernmost residents of our District a much closer station.
4. Purchase additional apparatus, such as an aerial pumper, brush truck, and water tender.
5. Replace outdated apparatus (40 years old) that is beyond its expected useful lifespan.
6. Purchase new firefighter turnout gear and air packs, replacing expired and outdated versions.
7. Replace antiquated fire hoses and provide backup stock.
8. Update fire nozzles with new models.
9. Complete the 20,000 gallon water storage project at Station 2.
10. Purchase a compressor and fill station for our air packs.
11. Purchase an oxygen cascade fill system for our O2 cylinders.
12. Purchase additional extrication equipment (“jaws of life” and others).
13. Pay off the current lease/purchase obligations for an existing pumper and water tender.

Why is a Separate Tax Levy Needed?

With the goal of hiring full-time, 24/7 staff, we will need additional operating funds to cover the payroll and insurance required to employ more personnel. Bond Funds are not permitted by law to be used for paying personnel, thus the additional operating funds are needed.

Having staff at the station 24/7 will be a “game-changer”, giving us a much greater chance of saving a home on fire, or even the life of a person in cardiac arrest, since someone will be ready to respond at all times. In contrast to volunteers responding from home or work, full-time station staff will be able to go en-route within minutes, versus 10-15 minutes under the current situation. With all of the synthetic materials found in homes these days, structure fires burn much hotter and faster. On average, a structure fire can double in size every 30 seconds. Having a fire engine on its way to you within minutes will significantly reduce the chance of losing your home.

How Much Will These Measures Cost Me?

Each taxpayer within our district will see a different amount, based on their assessed property value. The bond obligation will add approximately 35-cents per $100 assessed over 20-years. The operating levy will add 25-cents per $100 assessed value.

On your most recent tax receipt, find the assessed value and use the link at the bottom of this page to calculate your individual additional amounts. For the average homeowner, these upgrades will result in adding the equivalent of about “one fancy coffee drink” per month.

The organization that reviews and rates fire departments, I.S.O. (Insurance Services Office), provides rating data to all homeowners’ insurance companies throughout the nation. They have a very simple scale for their ratings: 1=Best and 10=Worst. Numerous factors are taken into consideration by I.S.O. when rating a fire department. Southern Dallas Fire is currently a 9, which is not surprising given the equipment, apparatus and staffing levels we currently have. We expect that with the implementation of all these changes, our new rating will improve greatly. Our goal is to move up to a 6 or 7, which will reduce the average homeowner’s insurance premium in our District by $300-$400 per year. For most folks, this reduction will more than offset their taxes for fire protection, making these proposed improvements a win-win for everyone.

Tax Calculator Link:

https://www.localtaxcalculator.com/southerndallascountyfire