The Need: A New Paramedic Rescue Advanced Life Support Ambulance

Current Ambulance Purchasing Plan:

Purchase a 2013 International Leader Type 2 Ambulance. This unit has been a Demo Rig that has 6,000 miles of use therefore it is heavily discounted. (approximately $30,000) Our purchasing plan includes many different revenue streams.

Budget

Total Purchase price: $180,000 (73% FUNDED)

2013 Sonoma County Transient Occupancy Tax Grant $45,000 (FUNDED)

2014 Sonoma County Transient Occupancy Tax Grant $45,000 (FUNDED)

Community Fundraisers $3,000 (FUNDED)

Bodega Bay Firefighters Association Contribution $10,000 (FUNDED)

Surplus of Current Ambulance $10,000 (TBD)

Loan Amount (TBD)

Crowd Sourcing Fundraiser to pay off the Loan that will be need to complete funding $50,000

This Indiegogo fundraising campaign will complete the funding to purchase this much need paramedic ambulance to continue to serve the community and visitors of Bodega Bay, CA

• FIRE DISTRICT ISSUES:

• THE RISING COST OF BUSINESS HAS EXCEEDED ANNUAL TAX REVENUE AND RESERVE FUNDS WILL BE DEPLETED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 

• A DROP IN STAFFING LEVELS WILL RESULT IN LOWER LEVELS OF SERVICE AND SLOWER RESPONSE TIMES FOR MULTIPLE INCIDENTS.

• A MAJORITY(65%+) OF THE TOTAL CALLS ARE FOR NON-BODEGA BAY RESIDENTS.

• CURRENT AMBULANCE IS NO LONGER RELIABLE TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE.

  
  

  DISTRICT BACKGROUND:
  

• Established in 1984 because residents wanted a full-time ambulance and fire fighting capability in the area.

• Provides emergency medical service, fire suppression, rescue, hazardous material response, and public assistance over a 34 square mile area to residents and visitors. 

• Averages 480 emergency incidents per year; vast majority are for medical aid versus fire suppression.

• Provides a "Paramedic" ambulance; paramedics have advanced life support training which includes administering IVs and drug therapy, advanced airway techniques, cardiac monitoring, defibrillation, ETC.

• Paramedic ambulance provides critical link between Bodega Bay and the nearest hospital in Santa Rosa (40 minutes away) and responds to an additional 216 square mile area beyond the fire district boundary.

• 3 paid staff per shift, including 1 firefighter/paramedic; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

• Paid staff is augmented with safety volunteers, Non-safety volunteers, reserve firefighter/EMT’s, and firefighter interns in training.

• The last district fire tax increase was in 2003. The voters rejected a proposed tax increase in April 2014, with resistance focusing on the current high local fire tax and a lack of support from the larger community.

  INFLUENCING FACTORS:

• Bodega Bay is a tourist destination.  State and County Parks plus commercial properties account for over 4 million visitors a year, which equals almost 11,000 visitors a day.  The resident population according to the census is 1077 (2010).  There is no regular recurring financial support from the State or the County to assist with their portion of the visitor population.

• The District does not get any revenue from the statewide $150 CalFire fee instituted in 2011.

• As a post-Prop 13 District, with more than a $650 million assessed value, less than .04% ($226,000) comes from local property taxes.

• District taxpayers pay a high special fire tax, which accounts for 60% of the District's revenue; a typical residence is $524.40 per year or $44 per month.

• Over 65% of the "total calls" are to help non-Bodega Bay residents; 80% of medical transports are for non-Bodega Bay residents.

• Current revenues to do not increase as fast as inflation.

• Current revenues are not quite enough to pay for 3 personnel for each of the 3 shifts.  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends 4 firefighters per engine company and 2 firefighters per ambulance.

• There is little residential or commercial growth expected, which limits new tax revenue and subsequently keeps us from keeping pace with inflation.

• We have aggressively pursued grants and alternative funding.

• Our first-out engine and ambulance "service lives" have been extended by aggressive maintenance and retrofits in lieu of preferred replacement; therefore, saving money.