Clean Audit and Insurance Rating Improvement for Clark County Fire District 6
Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Fire District 6 passed its most recent independent audits for financial and accountability practices. The reports can be found on the Washington State Auditors public website at www.sao.wa.gov/reports-data/audit-reports.
All local governments are required to be audited by the state. These assessments are done to ensure that the use of taxpayer resources comply with state and federal laws.
“It’s important that our taxpayers know we are good stewards of their tax dollars. We take this responsibility seriously and the audit results reflects that,” said Chief Kristan Maurer. “These sound financial practices have helped us improve service for the communities we serve, as well.”
The clean audit happened as Fire District 6 also improved its Protection Class rating. A Protection Class rating is based on a fire district’s emergency service capabilities, such as the number of personnel and training programs it has, the age and type of apparatus it uses, and the quality of its stations. This rating is directly linked to the amount home and business owners pay in insurance premiums. The better the rating, the more home and business owners save on their insurance.
Protection Class ratings are issued by the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau and range from 10 to 1. The lower the number, the better the rating. Clark County Fire District 6 improved its Protection Class rating from a 4 to a 3 in its recent assessment.
“Our taxpayers have made a significant investment in emergency services in Fire District 6,” said Chief Maurer. “This enabled us to make improvements that led to a better rating and insurance savings for our community.”
Call volumes have increased 13 percent in the last year, and more improvements are needed. That’s why Fire District 6 is asking voters to consider a Fire Levy lid lift during the August 4 Primary Election. If approved by voters, funding would be used to hire additional personnel and improve training programs. Some funding would be used to add or replace emergency apparatus, and earthquake-proof the Fire District’s busiest station in Hazel Dell.
Chief Maurer says that priority one for the lid lift is to improve emergency services to save lives and property. These investments also are important to maintain the Fire District’s Protection Class rating.
The lid lift would return the Fire Levy from $1.16 to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Voters in Fire District 6 last approved a Fire Levy lid lift back to $1.50 per $1,000 in 2015. Levy rates fall as property values rise to limit a fire district to roughly the same amount of revenue per year.
If approved by voters in August, the lid lift would take effect in 2021. More information about the Fire Levy lid lift can be found at www.ccfd6.org. Chief Kristan Maurer also is available to answer questions at (360) 576-1195 or kristan.maurer@ccfd6.org.
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Clark County Fire District 6 provides fire protection and emergency medical service to 70,000 people over 37 square miles. Our service area includes the unincorporated communities of Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Felida, Mt. Vista, the Fairgrounds, and Lake Shore. Our emergency personnel responded to 8,800 calls last year with compassion, care and professionalism. Fire District 6 operates under a balanced budget and has passed all its independent audits by the state.