Why the M/PIFCD referendum is on the ballot
To the editor:
The Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Board of Commissioners has placed a referendum issue on the March 15, 2016, election, asking our constituents to consider authorizing an increase to the District’s millage from 3.0000 mills to 3.7500 mills.
The additional funds will aid in replacing outdated emergency equipment, such as the over 20-year-old extrication equipment (Jaws of Life) and SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus). Emergency vehicles will also need replacing in the future. The average emergency vehicle in the fleet is 17 years old.
Funds will also assist with building a fire station in Matlacha to provide equal service and protection to its members of the community. The District will then need to staff the new fire station and re-hire attrition personnel. Currently, response times to these areas average 11 minutes from the center. This property is centrally located and will drastically reduce that number. Seconds count in an emergency.
Lastly, your fire department plays a key role in how ISO (Insurance Service Office) affects individual home and business insurance rates. ISO looks at the number of firefighters responding to an emergency, the response times, the distance to a fire station, and many more pieces of data.
Benjamin Mickuleit
Deputy Fire Chief
Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District