Antioch Fire Protection District seeks tax increase

Antioch Township fire district officials hope the fourth time is the charm in their quest to convince voters to staff a pair of unmanned stations after three straight referendum defeats.

Voters will decide in November whether to support a proposal by the First Fire Protection District of Antioch Township to fund 24-hour firefighter staffing at the stations. New funds also would be used to buy "advanced life support" systems.

"We want to provide the best and most efficient protection for the community," Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Vandevoorde said. "We want the ability to respond to emergencies as fast as possible."

A "Town-Hall" style informational meeting is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Grass Lake Elementary School, 26177 Grass Lake Road, Antioch.

There hasn't been any organized opposition to the previous referendums, which were on the ballots in spring and fall 2007, and spring 2008. Vandevoorde said concern about rising taxes, competition with several school tax rate requests and a declining economy have been factors in previous defeats.

If this referendum is approved, Vandevoorde said, it would cost about $150 annually for the owner of a $200,000 home. The rate would rise from 18 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation to 40 cents in the first year.

"We know these are hard times for a lot of people," he said. "But the benefits will outweigh the cost."

A steadily increasing number of emergency calls and a growing population is stretching the department thin, Vandevoorde said.

The number of emergency calls has increased to nearly 1,000 per year from about 400 calls 10 years ago within the village of Antioch and Antioch Township. The district hasn't had a tax rate increase in 90 years, he added.

In addition to the downtown station, the district has two firehouses on the outer reaches of its 35-square mile coverage area. The second station is at Deep Lake Road and Depot Street; Station 3 is at Grass Lake Road and Route 59.

Vandevoorde says approval of the referendum would allow both to be staffed with six part-time firefighter/paramedics 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They would be paid $12 per hour with no benefits.

"If someone is trapped in a vehicle after an accident, we can respond in two or three minutes, as opposed to seven to nine coming from downtown," he said. "That could be life or death depending on the situation."

The First Fire Protection District, is one of three entities serving the Antioch area, including the village of Antioch Fire Department and the privately funded Antioch Rescue Squad.