Yes on 27-125

Bond Details

Keep Them Safe

The firefighters need to replace equipment to keep them safe while they work to protect us.

Help Them Respond

The trucks they drive are reaching the end of their service life.  They need vehicles that can be depended on when lives are in the balance! 

Provide Them Facilities

New facilities are needed to provide faster access to Highway 22, improve response times, and add needed volunteers to the district  volunteer firefighter numbers.

Facts and Questions

Want some quick facts or access to frequently asked questions?  Visit the Facts and Questions page to get the information you need.

Yes on 27-125

Keep Them Safe

Safety

Our firefighters volunteer countless hours serving our needs in times of crisis.  They put in the time and energy, we need to provide the equipment to keep them safe while they serve us.  Equipment needs include:

  • Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)–the SCBAs currently used by our firefighters are old and failing. The manufacturer is out of business, parts cannot be found, and the units can no longer be repaired.  Our firefighters cannot fight fires without functional SCBA equipment.  The bond will provide for new SCBAs that will allow our firefighters to stay safe.
  • Radios–the two-way radios used to communicate on the fire scene are old and also no longer supported by the manufacturer.  Timely and effective communication is critical in keeping firefighters out of harm’s way and getting help where it needs to be.  The new two-way radio equipment will allow the firefighters to communicate effectively and safely on scene.
  • Mobile Data Computers–Mobile Data Computers (MDC) are used to provide the firefighters with accurate and up to date information on the call as well as access to critical safety information about the call location.  The current MDCs have been handed down from Tualatin Valley Fire to Dallas Fire and then to Southwest Polk Fire.  The current MDCs are old, slow, and undependable.  New MDCs will provide firefighters with critical information when they need it on an emergency response.
  • Firefighter Equipment–our firefighters stand in need of basic equipment to let them do their jobs for us. Firefighter protective clothing has a hard and fast replacement date.  Each new set costs about $3500.  The current inventory of nozzles and hoses is old, mismatched, and failing.  Basic hoses and nozzles are needed to help our firefighters protect our property.  SW Polk Fire currently has no gas monitoring equipment, and is dependent upon other fire districts to fill the need.  Gas monitoring equipment will allow our firefighters to verify conditions are safe for homeowners and firefighters.
Yes on 27-125

Help Them Respond

Apparatus Age

Apparatus Age

Our current fire trucks will be at the end of their emergency service life at the end of the bond.  SW Polk Fire has already needed to retire two vehicles within …

Apparatus Reliability

Apparatus Reliability

Due to the age of the fleet and the wear of emergency responses on and off road, the trucks are seeing an increasing amount of time in the service bay. …

Apparatus Investment

Apparatus Investment

The life of the apparatus will be 5-10 years longer than the bond.  Fire vehicles are a significant investment for the District, and are treated with care and respect.  Vehicles …

Enhanced Apparatus

Enhanced Apparatus

The replacement apparatus will meet modern safety requirements.  Advances in truck safety have advanced significantly in the last twenty years.  The replacement of our aging apparatus will provide for new …

Yes on 27-125

Facts and Questions

FACT: Currently SW Polk Fire District has one of the lowest rates of all fire districts in the state. Even after the bond, the tax rate will be comparatively low.
FACT: The District has been extremely frugal with the taxes collected. Equipment is used, repaired, and maintained as much as possible. We apply for grants as often as possible, with a recent grant providing extrication equipment. Unfortunately, grant requests for the items in the bond have been unsuccessful.  The bond presented is the option of last resort, with all possible options tried prior to the bond presentation.
FACT: The District only has one employee–all board members and firefighters are unpaid volunteers. No excess money is spent on staff, but purely on fire equipment and operations.

FACT: The District volunteers put in hundreds of hours in training and responding to alarms. They put themselves in harms way to help protect us, whether entering a burning building or working on wrecks on busy highways. They have sacrificed time, health, and safety for us, we need to do what we can to support them and keep them safe.

Q: Didn’t the Public Safety Levy give you money?
A: No, the Public Safety levy was run by the Polk County government, and meant for law enforcement. SW Polk Fire District is a completely separate organization with no ties to the Polk County government organization.

Q: Can the bond money end up being spent on other projects in Polk County?
A: No-the funds collected can only be used by SW Polk Rural Fire District for fire equipment expenses.