Tax levy increase would improve fire protection in Scott County Rural Fire Protection District

BLODGETT, Mo. -- Voters in the Scott County Rural Fire Protection District are being asked on the April 5 ballot to pass a tax levy increase to secure a much-needed new fire station, storm sirens for the area and equipment upgrades.

The proposed increase is 50 cents per $100 of assessed valuation of personal property and real estate, but would in turn lower insurance rates for residents once the projects are completed. For a home valued at $100,000 the cost would be $95 a year while a home valued at $200,000 would be $190 a year.

Currently there are three fire stations (Blodgett, Morley, Vanduser) in the Scott County Rural Fire Protection District, serving 9,870 citizens and covering 150 square miles. A 5-mile radius is drawn around each of the stations and those homes outside of the radius are deemed as having virtually no fire protection by insurance.

A new fire station, proposed to be built on the south end of the district, would put 90% of the district within a five-mile radius of a fire station, which would lower ISO, which in turn would lower homeowner insurance premiums along with providing faster response times to incidents and less travel times to access the interstate for accidents.

Scott County Rural Fire Protection District Fire Chief Jeremy Perrien said Monday he learned the ISO for the District has already been lowered from an 8 to a 7, a savings of about $100 per $100,000. Once the projects are completed from the passing of the levy, would lower the ISO even more.

"The good thing about fire service is when you gain equipment and upgrade equipment you have a better fire service and with a better fire service you get better insurance rates," Perrien said.

From 2017 to 2022, the district has seen a population increase of 20% and the amount of incidents the fire protection district responds to has gone up 150% in the last six years. The fire district had 182 calls for service in 2014 and in 2020 the number of calls for service was 554.

The percentage of calls within a 5-mile radius is 40% for the Morley station, 40% for the proposed new station and 10% each at the Blodgett and Vanduser stations.

While Perrien said some have suggested building a new station and closing the Blodgett station, it would defeat the purpose. The funds would still be needed to build a new station and by closing the Blodgett station it would leave more residents not covered within a 5-mile radius.

"We aren't gaining anything out of that," Perrien said.

The purpose of the new fire station is to increase coverage for everyone in the district. The district covers as far south as Route HH and covers the same district as the Kelly school buses run. A new fire station, would allow a quicker response to accidents both on HH, the interstate and in between.

"We want to get to the interstate faster. We want to cover these school bus routes," Perrien said.

In addition to a new fire station, the tax levy increase would allow to add to the Morley fire house to accommodate a living quarters, decontamination room, storage and exhaust removal system. A decontamination room, concrete and exhaust removal system would be added to the Vanduser fire house.

Perrien said they will also upgrade some of their engines to pumper tankers and a ladder truck. The pumper tankers will provide water to fire scenes faster while the ladder truck will provide an elevated water source for both taller buildings and grain bins and large surface area buildings such as schools and businesses while making operations on normal houses faster and safer.

Another big part of the proposed increase is to install storm sirens throughout the district.

"The storms are more violent around us and they seem to be getting closer to home," Perrien said. "We want everybody to have as much warning as possible."

The storm sirens will be placed in the populated areas in the fire district not covered, such as Haywood City, the Sloanville area, the Sandywood area, Woodhaven, Fox Meadows, Marion Estates, the new fire house on the south end of the district and Morley fire house.

"We've received lots of support and it's much appreciated but we have to get people to the polls to vote yes," Perrien said. "A better equipped fire service, more tankers, updated equipment, outdoor storm sirens for Haywood City, Woodhaven, Fox Meadows, Marion Estates, Plantation area and Sloanville, lowered insurance premiums, tax payers saving money, all seems like a win-win situation."