Mount Vernon fire chief Nathan Goodlove explained the importance of renewing the equipment levy that will be on this year’s ballot in the general election for Mount Vernon residents.
The equipment levy requires a simple majority to be continued, and will not be a new tax on residents, just a continuation of an already appproved levy.
Goodlove noted that the levy is utilized to cover fire gear for the department, and has been used to purchase items like rescue equipment, the gear firefighters use, an exhaust removal system at the station, air packs and other safety equipment.
“Our gear has to be replaced every 10 years,” Goodlove said. “That is due to the amount of toxic material that’s released during a fire in modern day construction.”
To equip a new firefighter, that amounts to $3,274 in new pants and coat, $334 for a helmet, $550 for boots, $82 for gloves and $99 for a fireproof hood, or a total of $4,399 per firefighter.
That’s only one portion of the gear that firefighters use, however.
Goodlove said that the department has been able to save $47,000 on three fire truck purchases totaling $1.1 million due to this levy over the past 10 years.
“Those savings happened because we had the funds up front and fluid,” Goodlove said.
The department also saved $8,000 on air pack replacements in 2017 due to the fund, as they were able to join in on a group purchase with Des Moines Fire Department for the 25 airpacks the department needed, again because they had the funds available.
“Not having to bond for these large purchases has been a huge cost savings and benefit for the community,” Goodlove said.
He also knows that the department might be looking at a vehicle purchase in the future, as one of the oldest fire engines will be hitting it’s 30 year life expectancy in 2025.
“Depending on the apparatus we move forward with, a ladder truck or fire engine, we could be looking at $750,000 to a $1 million,” Goodlove said.
Goodlove said prices for that equipment have only grown in recent years.
The equipment levy is able to generate roughly $100,000 annually for the department, which has helped offset some of these equipment costs and benefit the department.
“I can’t stress enough how valuable this levy is to have in place and the ability it gives us to be great stewards of taxpayer funds,” Goodlove said.