Marshfield Fire Department - Photo by On Focus
MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) — Marshfield Fire Chief Everett Mueller says a yes vote to the April 1st referendum won’t solve all of his department’s problems, but it will give them some more breathing room.
Mueller says they will still be considered understaffed by the National Fire Protection Association 1710 standards. “This would allow us to go from having 11 on staff to 12, which was our 2021 standard. We would also look to have a minimum of 9 firefighters on per shift, which will really help us overcome any problems that we do have with concurrent calls and fire response.”
NFPA standards call for at least 15 firefighters on the scene to take care of essential tasks. Mueller says they looked at several options for funding the positions and felt like a referendum for two was the appropriate action. “We looked at a lot of different things and it came down to this as the most effective method.”
The question asks for a 1.6% increase in the levy, or about $257,000 annually, which would restore staffing to 2021 levels. Officials say that would amount to a $1.11 per month increase on the mill rate, meaning a $100,000 home would pay an additional $13.28 per year to support the positions.
Officials say the two extra positions will help them handle an increased call volume. They also argue that it will help decrease response time and improve their ability to respond to multiple calls simultaneously.
The department held a public information session regarding the referendum on Thursday evening at UWSP Marshfield. Two additional sessions are scheduled for March 13th at Hotel Marshfield and March 27th at the Community Center.
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