Message from the Chief:

I was delegated responsibility, on behalf of the Fire Dept.  for the Insurance Service Office, (ISO), evaluation of our City's fire defenses the last time that occurred in 1998.  As Fire Marshal and Fire Operations Chief it was a natural selection.   The ISO process involves devoting about six months of staff time to collecting, collating, analyzing and providing data to ISO.  It was my third experience with the process, which occurs every ten years or so and I had hoped to never experience another one. 

Our self analysis in 1998 told us that we were unlikely to hold our coveted class 3 rating.  Too much growth had occurred in the commercial sections of the City with no corresponding growth in fire defense resources.   The water system was aging and there was no money to put into needed line replacement and system expansion.

Our analysis estimated that we would be within one point, on a 100 point rating schedule, short of holding our class 3 rating.  This class 3 rating has implications across the commercial economy of our City.  We knew falling only one rating point would result in average premium increases of 7%.  We prepared a plan to present to City Council in anticipation of the bad news when the new rating came out.  We were pleasantly surprised to find we held our class 3 rating by hundredths of a point in 1998. 

Fire Dept. long range planning began to address the rating problem that we would face in 2008 almost immediately.  Sworn administrative staff at the time included 7.  Chief, 3 Division Chiefs, Fire Marshal, and 2 Deputy Fire Marshals.  This staff has been stripped down to the present 3 and reassigned to line duties on the shifts.  We lost two positions entirely since the 1998 assessment. 

The Fire Dept. historically generates nontax revenue support equal to 20 to 25 percent of its budget each year.  LFD is unique in that, I do not know of another fire department that even comes close.  We do this in support of, what I believe, is the highest trained, most responsive, most competent fire and EMS delivery system in the region.  This is the level of service this community selected decades ago and reaffirms annually. 

Service delivery has deteriorated since 1998 in the form of ever increasing response times and sheer call volume.  Requests for service have increased nearly 30 percent, the City is 60 percent larger in land mass and the population grows annually. 

We have run out of creative ways to augment response.  We have reached the point where an additional station is a necessity and that station must be staffed.  Failure to act now will result in further deterioration of service. 

The City of Laramie provides more service with less tax revenue than any other city in Wyoming, or anywhere for that matter.  It is easy to say to City staff, "just spend better", but figures, data and statistics put the lie to that notion.  Analysis of service delivery comparative costs say we already spend smarter than anybody, by far. 

Money must be put into fire service delivery resources and the water system.  The water system is one half of the ISO rating schedule assessment and it is averaging over 100 breaks a year.  Water system reliability alone is going to cost an increase in fire insurance premiums.  Money has got to be put into line rehabilitation and replacement.  It is no longer optional.  There are two possible sources for this money, tax infusion or rate increases.

For these reasons staff has recommended to City Council support of the 7th cent sales tax.  City Council has responded with a resolution detailing priorities.  Fire staffing and infrastructure.  Council defined infrastructure as; water system, sewer system, streets and drainage. 

Randy Vickers,

Laramie Fire Chief

Station 1
and Administrative Offices
209 S. 4th Street

Station 2
and Public Meeting Room
1558 N. 23rd Street