describes the district鈥檚 trouble recruiting new staff, aging safety equipment and a reliance on stagnant local taxes for revenue, even as inflation has risen.
It focuses on the fire district鈥檚 main sources of revenue, which are three taxes: property taxes, a special tax approved by voters in 2020 called and a tax approved by voters in 2006, which is collected from residents in the district.
The Arcata Fire District has three fire stations, one in McKinleyville and two in Arcata, and serves nearly 40,000 residents and 62 square miles in far Northern California, including Cal Poly Humboldt.
The Measure F special tax will expire in 2030, at which time the district would lose a big chunk of its revenue.
If that happens, "we would take steps backwards. We would end up closing a station and losing positions," said Chris Emmons, who will soon take over as interim fire chief. "It would be dire at that point. And that's why we want to get ahead of this before the time runs out on us. It's kind of a ticking clock for us."
Emmons said their funding is consistent, but also stagnant. The rate for the Benefits Assessment tax has not changed since 2006.
"What's good about that is it stays stable. What's bad about that is it doesn't increase with the cost of inflation," he said. "It鈥檚 a blessing and a curse at the same time."
He said if the district doesn't have enough funding in the future, it may have to close a station or have fewer staff to respond to calls, meaning longer response times.
The Civil Grand Jury report says the district's financial situation was revealed as the jury investigated its ability to respond to potential fires in high-rise buildings in development in Arcata. The Arcata Fire District Board of Directors and the City of Arcata City Council have 90 days to respond to the report.
"The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury learned that the District鈥檚 finances have not been sufficient to cover expenses in recent years," the report reads. "The gap between increasing revenue and expense is widening. Without increased funding, residents are at greater risk during emergencies."
The district currently has about 25 employees and is seeking a fire engineer and assistant chief. According to Emmons, recruitment is difficult partially given the high cost of living in California.
Emmons said the district's main option is to have residents vote to renew the tax once it expires or to update it. The district will work on that in the coming months.
According to the report, a measure would have to be on the ballot by 2028 to avoid any lost revenue. It would have to take effect in the fiscal year 2029-2030.
Emmons said the fire district, Cal Poly Humboldt and the City of Arcata are working on a Standards of Cover report for the district to help solve these issues, which is set to come out this fall.
The district also partners with nearby agencies, and Emmons said staff often step in to help cover stations that need extra resources.
"We all do it, and it's just kind of the fire service way. I don't doubt the commitment of the folks here. It's just there's problems we're gonna have to take head on," he said as he prepares to take over the district. "Some of them are not popular, and I totally get it. But it's what we're gonna have to deal with."
