Del. fire, EMS agencies await bill signing as volunteerism drops and costs rise
DELAWARE – Fire and EMS agencies in Delaware are eagerly awaiting Governor John Carney’s stamp of approval on a recently passed bill. They say it would pave the way for a more steady stream of funding, and stronger emergency departments.
Fire Protection Fee
House Bill 127 would allow each of Delaware’s three counties to impose a fire protection fee. The fee would apply to properties, except those that are state-owned and/or tax-exempt. Respective county leadership would have the power to decide whether to collect the tax, or not.
“It’s not going into the county coffers. It’s going into the fire companies, and that’s required by the state law, but the magnitude is up to the counties, and whether they do it at all is up to the counties,” said bill sponsor, Representative Paul Baumbach.
Pay Now, or Pay Later
Norman “Jay” Jones, Executive Manager of the Delaware Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, says the legislation has been a long time coming.
“It’s a huge deal because it gives us another avenue that we don’t already have with the makeup of our funding system,” Jones said. “We are doing more with less each and every year.”
Lawmakers say it’s a pay now, or pay later, situation.
“We absolutely want to have great fire and ambulance companies in our state, and we’ve got to pay for it. If we don’t, and they go under, then the counties are going to have to pick up the tab,” Rep. Baumbach said.
The way that Delaware fire and EMS companies are funded is a real “hodgepodge” says Rep. Baumbach. Some funding comes from property insurance premiums, some from traffic violation fines, still more from donations, and also aid from local and state government.
“If you were to design it from scratch, the last thing you’d end up with is what we’re doing today,” Rep. Baumbach said. “This is something that I think my fellow legislators were so happy to join into, and help out, because we know how critical it is. And, we are just so appreciative of what they do.”
Cost of Service Rising
Currently, there’s a study underway across the state to see which fire and EMS companies could use the help the most. Jones says the bill couldn’t come at a better time, as volunteerism is low, but call volumes and costs are only rising.
“With prices going up, the resources that we need going up, the whole cost of the service goes up. And, we have to be able to fund that to continue to do what we do,” Jones said.
“We really desperately need people,”
Whether or not the state’s county leadership decides to adopt the fee is to be determined, however. Rep. Baumbach predicts it may be a few months before that happens.
Until then, Jones says you don’t have to suit up to help out; volunteers can also help with administrative work and fundraising. However, if you feel that answering those calls for service is the career path for you, volunteering is a great way to get your foot in the door.
“We really desperately need people that are able to come and get trained, ride the firetrucks. And now, it’s turned into a career opportunity,” Jones said. “This is an excellent step to go into that.”
The bill will go into effect with Governor Carney’s signature.
