We’re back with another #Friday5!!

As previously explained, #Friday5’s is where we answer questions from people in the district to give everyone the best information possible about the upcoming referendum. No question is off limits, and the answers can be fact-checked by anyone looking for the truth.

The Bourbonnais Fire Protection District board remains wholly committed to getting the truth out there and being honest about rumors that may manifest regarding this tax rate proposal. Therefore, if you ask a question or make a statement on social media, email, or board meetings, we will answer the questions IN WRITING so you can freely hold us to our word.

Remember, these are YOUR questions, statements, and other communication we have collected via email, read on social media, or found on websites regarding the Nov. 5 referendum. We will pull these questions and statements directly from wherever we find them and write answers for everyone to read.

Now, without further hype – welcome to our 6th #Friday5:

Q: Then the fire department needs to hold the pancake breakfasts and make them like they use too. Have a spaghetti dinner, visit with the residents, and educate us. Take donations at the events: raffles and rummage sales.

A: While fundraisers are great and always well appreciated, the revenue from these events is not anywhere near the amount needed to hire and retain employees or salaries.

The BPFD has two major fundraisers: the Friendship Festival and the Fireman’s Dance. These events are run by the Firefighter’s Association, which generously uses the donations to help equip the department. The dance generally raises between $2,500 and $5,000 in revenue while the Friendship Festival nets a final tally of $1,500 and $5,000. (We have also attempted pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners, but these events only raise about $500.)

While this money is extremely helpful for purchasing equipment, there are no fundraisers able to generate the amount of revenue the department needs to offset salaries, thus ensuring our community is safe and well served.

Q: Maybe I missed it, but how much is expected to be raised by the requested increase?

A: As we said on Friday 5.1, voting yes means you increase funding to the BFPD by an additional 0.21 on your tax rate. Believe it or not, this .21 on your taxes will increase the department’s revenue by about $750,000 annually, depending upon property values within the district in 2025. It’s also important to note the BFPD will not see any of this revenue until 2026 as all real estate taxes are a year in arrears across Illinois.

Q: I thought the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District was all volunteers, when did they change their staffing model?

A: The BPFD is a full-time fire service offset by paid-on-call, part-time firefighters/paramedics. In the earliest days, some volunteers received small stipends when answering a call, but today, none of our Firefighters/Paramedics/EMTs are “volunteers,” in the traditional sense. They are fully trained fire/fighter paramedics who are paid to work here. Firefighters-Paramedics and Firefighter-EMT’s are legit careers and we only hire professionals. The fire district employs 15 full-time and 25 part-time employees.

Q: I have lived where fire department did not get increase it needed to keep equipment up to date. They lost ability to provide emt service, lost ability to provide ambulance service. It was devastating effects when they had to pay out to hire ambulance service. They were not able to get around as well locally because the ambulance covered many contracts over different areas. Before you decide what to vote on blanketly, please look at the cost (in some cases could be lives lost) when emergency services are outsourced. It may not be you, your parent, or your child that would need a emt immediately, but it could be. I say in the case of fire fighters, consider voting yes. If they lose their funding to update as required by law, it will be very slippery slope to try to climb back out of.

A: We couldn’t agree more. This is not just a very real possibility but happened in Illinois about six years ago. The Knollwood Park Fire Department served an unincorporated area in Lake County, but a variety of reasons including a lack of funding forced its closure. Residents affected are now dealing with longer wait times and staffing issues.

With that being said, we are not saying the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District will close should this referendum fail. However, we are saying our service will not be up to the level needed to meet the needs of the community. In addition, we will continue to lose staff to neighboring departments who pay more. This is the basis of the referendum and what needs to change.

Q: I’m a district resident and the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District EMS responded and transported me to the hospital. Why would I receive a bill when I pay taxes for fire protection?

A: No - you do not receive a bill for fire protection. However, non-residents may see a bill for ambulance service.

We’ll explain: There is no bill from the fire department for most of the services performed by the fire district like fires, car wrecks, rescues, etc. But, as we pointed out in the past, there could be a charge for ambulance service for non-residents of the BFPD due to a major shortfall between the cost of service and the revenue received in exchange for the services rendered. This is an ongoing fire service issue that has been going on for years across the country, not just in Bourbonnais.

To be clear: People who use Medicaid/Medicare and residents of the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District will not receive a bill for ambulance transport. However, non-residents transported to the hospital in a BFPD ambulance will be balance billed for costs not covered by their insurance.

See you next week!!