Fuel costs concern fire departments, but trucks must run no matter what

If you think you're having a hard time figuring out how much you'll need for future gasoline costs, consider the fire chief's position.

It's his job to make sure his department has enough money to keep the diesel-powered firetrucks and ambulances running. He knows he spent more this year, but he has no idea how much to ask his bosses for in next year's budget.

"We budgeted $9,000 for fuel this year, and we already shot our budget," said Frank Buhrmann, West Dundee fire chief. "Next year, we're asking for $14,000."

He and his colleagues in other Fox Valley fire departments could be in the same situation if economists are correct in predicting fuel prices will continue rising into summer.

"Diesel is already $1 more a gallon than gasoline anyway. It's been that way for a while," said Mark Rakow, East Dundee fire chief. "We're spending about $1,000 a month on gas and diesel."

He still has $2,000 left in his current $12,000 fuel budget. But that could be spent as quickly as he can count it.

Officials in Rakow's and other departments are always looking for ways to save money, but they have few options.

When Rakow's two ambulances and three firetrucks are on calls, firefighters have to keep them running, even if it means for more than 12 hours.

"Last year, when we had the Dundee Lumber fire, we had some engines running for 24 hours," Rakow said. "We don't shut them down. I have told my guys to no longer keep the trucks running when we pull them out of the station to wash them, though."

All five East Dundee fire vehicles use diesel fuel. The department-owned car Rakow drives is powered by gasoline.

The West Dundee Fire Department has 10 vehicles that are powered by diesel and gasoline. To make their dollars go farther, officials have decided to put off buying small items for the trucks until the next budget starts in May.

"We're talking about an air filter for the truck," Buhrmann said. "Nothing that will keep it from running or being safe for the public."

East and West Dundee fire officials buy their fuel from local service stations. Because they are government bodies, they don't pay state and federal sales taxes as private motorists do.

If they did, homeowners who drive would be paying twice: for sales tax, and property taxes that go to the fire departments.

Even without the sales taxes, though, fire officials still pay a lot to fill up at the pump, Burhmann said.

"Every time we fill our large ladder truck up we'll spend $175. I tell my firefighters not to let their vehicles go below the half-tank mark, because we don't know what the nature of the next call will be," he said.

Departments in East and West Dundee charge for ambulance calls, but the amounts are based on what Medicaid and Medicare will reimburse their departments for.

"You don't want to set the price for a call on fuel costs because they fluctuate," Buhrmann said. "They may be up now. Hopefully someday they'll come down."