Careywood fire station closes after failed levy vote

CAREYWOOD, Idaho — A Bonner County fire station has closed after voters rejected a levy for additional funding.

The Careywood Fire Station was de-staffed at the beginning of this month. The Sagle Fire Protection District shifted those funds toward maintaining Selkirk Fire’s equipment and making repairs to fire stations.

Nearly 63% of voters rejected the levy that would have given the fire district three quarters of a million per year in funding. The rejection prompted the fire district to pull the two volunteer firefighters that staffed the Careywood station.

“Our nearest ambulance service is over 20 minutes away, these guys took care of all of southern Bonner County,” said Melissa Bonsell, a Careywood resident.

Before the station was de-staffed, volunteer firefighters could respond to Bonsell’s house in a few minutes. Now it takes about 15 to 20 minutes or more for firefighters to get there from Sagle.

Selkirk Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong released a statement with his recommendation for de-staffing the station earlier this month, saying the funding the district could spend on two volunteer firefighters there would be better spent on maintaining equipment and repairing other stations.

In his statement, Armstrong said the levy reflected a question to voters on whether they wanted to enhance fire protection or maintain current service levels.

“The majority of the voters decided this was not the right option for us. I respect their decision and can accept the results knowing I did my best to share with the community our challenges and future financial shortfalls,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong said tough decisions lie ahead as the district adjusts to increased costs of operation, equipment and maintenance. He said personnel reflects the largest portion of the budget.

“In the Sagle Fire District, my recommendation will be to remove the paid staffing from the Careywood fire station by June 1, saving the district a substantial amount in overtime and personnel costs,” Armstrong said. “Those funds need to be shifted immediately to the maintenance of our ageing fleet, fire station repairs, and equipment replacement.”

Armstrong said a recent capital replacement plan shows the need to invest up to $900,000 in the next 3-5 years for fire station repairs, apparatus repairs and replacement, and equipment replacement.

“It will be my goal to return staffing to that station when financially feasible,” Armstrong said.

That decision has residents like Melissa Bonsell and Kevin Streda worried about their safety.

“Keep the staff the way it was, that’s all we really want,” said Kevin Streda, a Careywood resident.

“We would really like them to re-staff the station, get out EMS back here, get our fire safety back here,” Bonsell said.

“They’ve been incredible at getting to all of the accidents and taking care of things. They’re our EMS here. Our closest ambulance is over 20 minutes away,” Bonsell said.

Bonsell said before the fire station in Careywood was de-staffed, her son-in-law got into an accident on train tracks and if the station hadn’t been right across the street, he might not have survived.

The residents fear the longer response times could be deadly.

“It’s scary, as a community, we’re scared for the people here. This road here is going to have an accident that’s going to cost somebody’s life because it’s going to be 30 minutes for fire to get here,” Bonsell and Streda said.

The timing concerns residents as fire season approaches. Fire danger has already been moved to moderate this year.

“The fire danger has already been moved to moderate this year, and this is only the beginning of June. That leaves us with having a very heavy fire danger through the summer,” Bonsell said.

It would be another year before the fire district can run another levy to fund staff for the station. The district says it’s applying for grant funding, but even if it gets the money, that wouldn’t be until October.

Bonsell created a petition to bring the station back that’s been signed nearly 100 times so far.