The Burgaw Fire Department is requesting that Pender County approve a tax rate increase in the Pender Central Fire District from $0.09 to $0.11. The increase in tax revenue, approximately $63,000, can then be used to help us offset our increased personnel costs, as well as potentially increasing our staffing. We will be holding a public input session at the Burgaw Fire Station at 109 N. Walker Street on April 25, 2022, from 6 to 7 pm. For more information, visit https://burgawnc.gov/firetax or contact the Burgaw Fire Chief at (910) 259-7494.
ISO Evaluation
In prior years we have asked Pender County for a line-item funding. We understand that Pender County is reluctant to provide extra funding in this manner to the Pender Central Fire District without first raising our tax rate, so that is the method we are proposing for the 2022-2023 budget. In 2019 we were told by County Manager McEwen that the County wanted us to have an updated ISO evaluation prior to providing more funding. We were evaluated in 2021 and reduced our ISO rating in the Pender Central Fire District 5-mile district from a 9 to a 5. Also, the State of North Carolina now also recognizes a 5-to-6-mile district with a 9E rating, instead of the previous rating of 10 for anything beyond the 5-mile district.
EMS Assistance
As of March 22, 2022, we are now recognized by the NC Association of Rescue and EMS as meeting the qualifications for the Medical Responder (MR) standard. We have worked with Pender EMS & Fire to achieve this goal. They have also created a MOU with the Burgaw Fire Department to be automatically dispatched to Echo level incidents (cardiac arrest, CPR in progress, etc.). By doing this we are providing an additional service to the citizens of the PCFD. Additionally, we were already experiencing an increased in the number of assist EMS call from 63 in 2020 to 93 in 2021.
Staffing
Additionally, the Town of Burgaw has funded additional positions. In 2019, we had three full time positions. We now have 7 full time positions, so we have a minimum staffing of two people per shift, 24 hours per day, 7 day per week. The funding for these extra positions has been provided by the Town of Burgaw.