CANFIELD, Ohio - A fire levy for the Cardinal Joint Fire District has passed with 57% of the vote.

According to an FAQ sheet about the levy sent by Fire Chief, Donald Hutchinson, it is a 1.63 mills continuous levy.

The department put this issue on the ballot because the district is experiencing a loss of firefighters paramedics/EMTs due to other local fire departments paying more. 

A total of five full-time employees and 12 part-time employees have left as of February 15, 2022. In order to prevent further losses, the district has increased its starting wage from $13.50 per hour to $17 per hour.

The money will be used to add nine additional full-time firefighters paramedics/EMTs to comply with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) standards and to fully staff ambulances.

This would give the district three full-time and one part-time firefighters paramedics / EMTs per 24 hour shift.

NFPA standards require four people on duty per station or engine. Currently the district has five full-time and three part-time firefighters paramedics / EMTs per shift for a total of eight.

Now that the levy has passed, the district will be able to raise that number to eight full-time and four part-time firefighters EMTs per shift for a total of 12.

In addition, the money will be used to purchase ambulance equipment and to provide ambulance, paramedic and other emergency medical services.

Emergency medical calls have increased by 78% between 2010 and 2021 with 18% of that increase being from 2020 to 2021 alone. Private ambulance companies in the Valley are having difficulties providing services for the communities they've contracted with.

The levy will raise $1,054,920 and will cost residents $57 annually for a home valuation of $100,000.