Dorr Township voters will be asked to approve a half-mill proposal to buy fire equipment on the primary election ballot ballot Tuesday, Aug. 2.

Fire Chief Gary Fordham stressed that this money may be used only for vehicles and large purchases such as extrication equipment.

“For many years, Dorr Township had a vehicle replacement fund that was funded by a millage,” the chief said. “Two years ago that millage failed on the ballot. In order to maintain the current ISO (insurance) rating of 6, the trucks need to be replaced as they near the end of the reliable service life.”

The following is a question and answer presentation Forham and the fire department put together:

Why does Dorr need new trucks?

“Dorr Township now owns six trucks. All of them have been completely paid for with millage funds – no taxpayer money has been wasted on interest payments. With the current capacity, Dorr has maintained an ISO rating of 6, the best that can be achieved without having far more hydrant access or a full-time department. Should the township become unable to maintain its oldest vehicles, Dorr may fall to an ISO rating of 9, costing the average homeowner hundreds more each year for insurance.”

What is an ISO rating?

ISO stands for ‘Insurance Services Office’ and is part of how fire departments are graded by insurance companies. The ratings are given on scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the best. Grand Rapids, for example, has an ISO rating of 3. Dorr Township has a rating of 6. This number is calculated based on age of equipment, training, water supply (hydrants), and pumping capability. Should one of Dorr Township’s engines fail, there are not enough funds to replace it (a new fire engine costs $500,000). Without two working engines, it will not be possible to maintain the current rating. A higher rating could lead to a higher insurance bill.”

How much will the millage cost?

The major equipment fund is a request for 0.5 mill. This is half of 1% of your state equalized value, roughly half of your home’s value. You can find your state equalized valuation (SEV) on your summer or winter tax bill. Take your SEV and divide by 2000 for your cost. (i.e. a home with SEV of $60,000 would pay $30 per year in taxes to support this millage). This millage would allow the township to raise around $110,000 per year toward the purchase of new equipment. The ideal replacement schedule for an emergency vehicle is about 25 years.”

What about the Dorr Township Fire Department?

“Dorr Township Fire Department is made up of 26 men and women from your own community. It is a paid-on-call department, meaning there is no full-time staff. Members respond to calls from work, home or sleep 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The FD responds to fire calls, all injury and unknown vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide and gas odor calls, grass fires, power lines down, lift assists and some assists to emergency medical agencies. The department covers a 36-square-mile area, as well as responding to request for mutual aid from Salem, Leighton and Byron Center and other local departments. They respond to an average of 120 calls per year, train twice a month and check equipment and tools once a month. Members provide fire safety training to area schools every October. They provide traffic and crowd control on the 4^th of July and the ball parades. Members of the department attend hundreds of hours of training and continuing education to maintain licenses and to increase knowledge and skill.”

PHOTO: Dorr Fire Chief Gary Fordham