The New Melle Fire Protection District’s current infrastructure is aging and needs to be modernized through rebuilding, redesign, or repurchase. Modern fire stations are considered Critical Infrastructure within their communities and should align with current space requirements to properly house apparatus and personnel, as well as up-to-date technologies that facilitate rapid emergency response. Additionally, emergency response vehicles continually evolve with industry standards as greater demands are placed upon them in the modern age.
The District’s firehouses have been falling behind in meeting space and technology requirements and this continues at an accelerated pace. The proposed new improvements will be professionally designed to meet today’s needs for rapid response, housing of more complicated and multi-faceted response equipment, enhanced security and safety of your emergency response personnel, with enhancements including a training/community room needed for firefighting and EMS training.
Additionally, emergency response vehicles incur greater maintenance costs as they age, and as greater call volumes are placed upon them. In order to combat this, the District is now emphasizing adherence to the National Fire Protection Association standards on equipment replacement. Our replacement schedule facilitates the greatest equipment efficiency without surpassing a cost-effective serviceable life of front-line apparatus, while ensuring our current insurance rating for our citizens.
In order to accomplish these much needed improvements, the New Melle Fire Protection District will be placing Proposition FIRE on the ballot November 3rd, 2020. “Prop FIRE” is a $7 million General Obligation Bond issue. The district estimates the bond will enable the repayment of the principal with a 20 year “repayment” plan. The District does not currently have any type of bond on the books. Bonds are used within most publicly funded organizations for large capital purchases and critical infrastructure support without placing a severe financial strain on the general funds that the organization typically uses for day to day operations.
This bond would be spent entirely on critical elements such as specific lifesaving rescue equipment, apparatus, and fire gear. Much of the bond will be allocated for the re-building and improvement of Fire District facilities. The timing of this has proven to be positive as well with interest rates the lowest they have been in over 60 years.
The New Melle Fire Protection District was established in 1951 and in those nearly 70 years of service we have always been extremely conscientious of your hard-earned tax dollars. We have stretched every dollar as far as possible to give the taxpayers the most efficient and effective equipment and staff around. As we evolve as a premier Fire District, we strive to provide increased services for our community have encountered an increased demand for that service.
Regular ongoing maintenance, similar to what homeowners and business owners face, takes place in all fire/EMS stations. Expensive HVAC, plumbing, electrical, structural, parking and landscaping and cooking systems are repaired and replaced as required. The ever- increasing costs of these repairs is expected and budgeted, but as the building structures continue to age, the mounting costs become difficult to justify and many times end up being temporary solutions to the underlying problem of the buildings having exceeded their life expectancy.
Three years ago it was decided that, other than general maintenance and repairs, there would no more refurbishing of Station 1. The cost was outweighing the benefits and we must be conscientious of your tax dollars. The District’s facilities have been falling behind in meeting space and technology requirements. This continues at an accelerated pace. A proposed new structure to replace the current Station 1, and improvements to Station 2 and 3, will be designed to meet today’s needs for rapid response, housing of more complicated and multi-faceted response equipment, enhanced security and safety of your emergency response personnel, and other enhancements.
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Fire Station #1, where the 24-hour career staff is located, was built in 1991 and was constructed as a volunteer firefighter station. It has since been remodeled within the past 30 years in an attempt to accommodate firefighters living there 24 hours a day. Crew quarters and a small training room were built within the available square footage of the original building. Currently firefighters have sleeping quarters in the basement of the building. The site requires inefficient back-in style bays and provides minimal on-site parking. The current undersized facility will not accommodate forecasted personnel and equipment expansion. Additionally, the current site requires constant investment to support site and building systems, maintain building exterior integrity and lacks industry standard operational efficiencies, living quarters sizes, technology, and security elements.
Station #1 is also designated as the Fire District headquarters. This is the area that should house the office of the Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, and a proposed administrative assistant. There is no available space for these offices in the current facility, and no room for any future expansion.
The proposed facility will provide:
The current Station 3 was originally built in the early 1970’s and has been added on to twice over the last 50 years. The current site requires constant investment to support site and internal/external building systems, and lacks industry standard operational efficiencies, living quarters sizes, technology, and security elements. The original fire truck bays are currently part of the living quarters and are not designed to maintain heating and cooling efficiency.
The proposed remodel of House 3 will feature functional living quarters with gender neutral bunk and restroom components, fitness, dayroom, kitchen, decontamination, gear storage, and technology/security elements will be provided to enhance staff response and create a professional environment. The facility will be 100% code compliant and constructed to essential services facility standards.
The proposed upgrades will provide:
Currently the brush unit 8928 is housed at Station 2. It was purchased in 2003 and is a ¾ ton Chevrolet single cab pick-up truck with a 120 gallon water tank in the bed.
Replacing this vehicle with a crew cab pick-up will reduce maintenance costs significantly and allow for more personnel and equipment to be transported to the fire scene. The current unit will be allowed to serve the District as a utility vehicle when needed or be sold.
Currently this unit is housed at Station 3. It was purchased in 2000 and is a 1-Ton F-350 extended cab pick-up with a 180-gallon water tank. Similarly, as with 8928, replacing this vehicle with a crew cab pick-up will reduce maintenance costs significantly and allow for more personnel and equipment to be transported to the fire scene. The current unit will be allowed to serve the District as a utility vehicle when needed or be sold.
Equipment purchases to be completed in 2021:
The New Melle Fire District is responsible for the largest amount of water in St. Charles County, including Callaway Valley, Callaway Farms, Brommelsiek park, New Melle Lakes Park, and Lake Sherwood. We have recognized a need for water access capability for possible rescue operations, and currently do not have a boat of any kind to provide this service. We have investigated the pricing of this equipment and have identified a need of $25,000-$35,000 to purchase this equipment. Uses would include swiftwater rescues, drownings, flash flood responses, ice rescues, and boating accidents.
The New Melle Fire Protection District responds to a number of vehicle crashes requiring rescuing trapped occupants. The current hydraulic rescue tools are nearly 25 years old. New technology has yielded battery operated tools that are more powerful and more ergonomic for the rescuer. We would purchase two sets of these life saving tools allowing for a full compliment at each station.
Turnout Gear (fire protective coat, pants, boots and helmet)- has a life span of 10 years.
In 2023 we will be required to replace turnout gear that was purchased in 2013 for all firefighters of the district.
Advanced Life Support Equipment –
Currently the district employs 3 full time paramedics with plans to hire more as positions become available. With this equipment, the career firefighters will be able to provide a higher level of medical care to all district residents. This includes administering lifesaving cardiac drugs, placing an advanced airway into someone who cannot breath, giving the hospital early warning of a person experiencing a heart attack or stroke. With only one ambulance in New Melle, firefighters could be on a scene for up to 20 minutes waiting for a secondary ambulance if the primary unit is on another call. Time is critical in heart and brain emergencies, and this will help fill that gap.
Fire Station #1/ District Headquarters Replacement
Fire Station #3 Renovation
Brush Unit 8928 will be replaced in 2021
Brush Unit 8938 will be replaced in 2021
Equipment purchases to be completed in 2021:
Rescue Boat for Station #1
Rescue boat for Station #3
Vehicle rescue tools for Stations 1 and 2
New structural Firefighting gear
New Cardiac monitor/defibrillators for career staff
$5.5 million
$500,000
$100,000
$100,000
$30,000
$30,000
$66,000
$65,000
$100,000
Fire Station #1/ District Headquarters Replacement
$5.5 million
Fire Station #3 Renovation
$500,000
Brush Unit 8928 will be replaced in 2021
$100,000
Brush Unit 8938 will be replaced in 2021
$100,000
Equipment purchases to be completed in 2021:
Rescue Boat for Station #1
$30,000
Rescue boat for Station #3
$30,000
Vehicle rescue tools for Stations 1 and 2
$66,000
New structural Firefighting gear
$65,000
New Cardiac monitor/defibrillators for career staff
$100,000
It is the mission of the New Melle Fire Protection District to put the citizens of our community F.I.R.S.T. Family, Integrity, Respect, Service, and Tradition. We value Integrity, Teamwork, Loyalty, Compassion, and Community.
Please contact our office at 636-828-5528 for questions or more information
