November 2, 2004

The Hubbard Rural Fire Protection District is not a part of the city or county but is a “special service district” protecting 7 square miles of Marion County including the City of Hubbard. District personnel respond to fire and medical emergencies from a fire station in the city of Hubbard and in the surrounding rural area.

The Fire District’s Board of Directors is requesting that the taxpayers of the district consider a 10-year local option tax levy for the specific purpose of purchasing a fire engine and fire protection equipment to operate the new fire engine, and to pay all costs incidental thereto.

The new fire engine will replace two (2) existing trucks, one is a 1977 fire engine and the other is a 1991 rescue truck. By replacing the two (2) vehicles with one (1) there will be savings each year in the costs for insurance, repairs, fuel and maintenance. Periodically the pump system must be tested and pass the test if it fails the test, repairs would be costly. If parts for the 1977 fire engine are needed they would have to be created, which is very expensive because parts are not available to buy. The gas tank of the 1977 fire engine has holes in it but it is irreplaceable.

New safety standards require all personnel on vehicles to ride inside the vehicle. The 1977 fire engine is limited to transporting two (2) personnel. The new fire engine will increase the number of personnel that can be transported under the new safety standards to a minimum of six (6).

The nature of calls has changed in the last twenty years so responses need to be improved. The new fire engine will allow fire fighting and emergency equipment to be consolidated to one vehicle for faster response time when hazardous materials, confined space entry, or low angle rescues are encountered because a second truck would not have to be dispatched.

Additional features the new vehicle will provide are foam capabilities, higher water volume per minute, improved chain saws, fans, nozzles and bigger hoses for the safety of the firefighters.

Submitted by,

Dennis Peterson, Chairperson
Hubbard Rural Fire Protection District