The Demorest Fire Department is moving forward with plans to improve fire protection in the city now that more funding has been approved. The Demorest City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $1.4 million budget that includes $89,000 in additional funding for the fire department. The additional funds will come from cuts in other departmental budgets. The money will be used to pay three part-time firefighters to staff the Demorest Fire Department around the clock – two during the day, one at night. Currently the Demorest Fire Department is staffed by part-timers and volunteers and is open twelve hours a day from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Tuesday’s vote falls on the heel of nearly two months of debate and a few heated exchanges during which some city leaders voiced concern over where the money would come from. Demorest City Manager Juanita Crumley presented the council with a revised 2015 budget that includes reductions in several departments. Reductions include:
$10,000 off the general account budget
$5,000 from the Street Department budget
$23,000 from the Police Department supply budget
$65,000 from auditor fee budget
Reductions are based on this year’s spending. Crumley told council the Street Department’s gas costs have decreased, the Police Department purchased new computers this year but won’t require that funding next year and the investigation into missing funds in Demorest is nearing completion so auditor fees aren’t expected to be as high in 2015. The funding shift increases the fire department’s budget to $229,798 next year and still maintains a balanced general budget.
Mayor Rick Austin says he’s pleased the revised budget passed. “I’m pleased that the citizens of Demorest are going to have a fully-staffed fire department in the city of Demorest. I imagine within a short time period the people are going to have 24 hour coverage.” He adds, “This is just one component of ISO calculations and this is certainly going to help us when we get evaluated once again for ISO.”
The Insurance Services Office evaluates fire departments across the United States and rates them based on specific criteria. The ISO rating determines how much property owners pay for insurance. Demorest Fire Chief Ken Ranalli says he expects the switch to 24/7 fire protection will have a significant, positive impact on the city’s ISO rating which, in turn, should translate into lower insurance premiums for property owners. He says he’s happy the budget was approved. “It’s something citizens wanted and something we need.”
Ranalli says he’s surprised his request for more funding stirred such debate. He says he’s been upfront about his goals for the Demorest Fire Department since becoming chief in 2011. “It was surprising that there were several people that understood where I was taking it and several who acted like it was the first time they’d heard about my plans (for a fully-staffed fire department).” It was an eye-opening experience for Ranalli. “I’m new at dealing with the political side. I’m just glad we can move forward.”
Pressed for a timeline on when Demorest will switch from a 12-hour to 24-hour department Austin responds, “I would hope that we can pull this thing together before the beginning of the year.”
It can’t come soon enough for property owners who strongly supported the change. Bobbe Seibert has lived in Demorest since February 2014. She says she was shocked when she recently learned the city doesn’t have a full-time fire department. Now that it soon will she says she’s relieved. “I am so grateful. Government is supposed to protect people and property, that’s first. I want all the other things, too, but first we need to deal with police and fire.”
Demorest attorney Bruce Harkness whose son Jerry serves on the council agrees, “I’m very proud of the city council. I think they’ve done a great job tonight of protecting us and protecting the citizens.”
Although pleased with the idea of 24/7 fire protection Harkness says there may be better ways to pay for it.
During public comments prior to the vote Harkness suggested the council consider asking Piedmont College to charge students a $10 fire protection fee to help cover the cost of staffing a full-time fire department. “If Piedmont College owns the vast majority of property and buildings in the downtown zone and they get a fire reduction rating through our full-time fire department, not only will it help with their insurance it will help with safety.”
Another possible cost-cutting measure was presented by councilman Donnie Bennett who raised the possibility of turning over Demorest’s fire services to Cornelia. Bennett says similar talks were held before Ranalli was hired. Bennett says he spoke with Cornelia City Manager Donald “Dee” Anderson who told him Cornelia could provide full-time fire protection for Demorest for $132,000 per year. That would save Demorest $98,000 a year.
Council took both funding suggestions under advisement. Although council went ahead and voted for the revised budget they can amend it at any time.
Austin says he’s open to any and all suggestions that could save taxpayers money, including the possibility of partnering with Cornelia. “I didn’t anticipate that being brought forward tonight. It’s not something that I’m opposed to. I’m always open to any idea that will save the people money but until I see figures on paper and we start talking about a potential partnership in that regard I can’t comment as to the likelihood or whether it could even happen at this point.”
Ranalli says no such partnership is needed. He says he and his staff are fully capable of handling fire services in the city of Demorest. “There’s no need for them to go outside. We can handle it and we can handle it with the equipment and folks that we have.”
The Demorest fire chief has big plans for the future. In addition to offering increased fire protection, Ranalli says his department will offer a variety of public safety courses to the community including CPR classes, car seat safety checks, fire prevention and fire safety classes. In addition, Ranalli is exploring the possibility of starting a college residency program for students at Piedmont who would work as volunteer firefighters in exchange for room and board. He’s modeling his plan on a program at Auburn University and calls it, “…a very effective way to save lives and property.”
If it also saves taxpayers money it could prove to be a win-win for all parties involved.
