WEST SALEM, Wis. — The West Salem Fire Protection District is considering charging for fire calls if equipment costs become a problem.

WSFPD Board President Reuben Oldenburg said while he doesn’t foresee the board starting a user fee, it is among the options discussed as the agency looks at ways to pay for firefighter equipment and a new tanker truck.
“This particular user fee is just a thought if we don’t have enough money, but I certainly hope that won’t come to pass,” Oldenburg said.

The La Crosse Fire Department has never considered charging a fee for fire calls and doesn’t expect to in near future, said Fire Chief Gregg Cleveland.

In its 36-year history, the West Salem Fire Protection District has never charged businesses or individuals on a regular basis to have the fire department respond to a fire call.

However, board Secretary-Treasurer Merlin Wehrs said the district has been able to recoup the cost of water, foam and firefighter wages in some instances when property owners had insurance that covered the bill.

Since 1998, the district has sent out bills and been able to recoup costs in about six instances, the highest being about $1,950 and the lowest about $50, Wehrs said.

“My feeling on that is if I’m paying an insurance premium, my insurance covers expenses that are billed to property owners because of a fire, and I can’t use it because I don’t have a bill from the fire department,” Wehrs said. “I don’t see anything wrong with (billing for fire calls).”

But if a bill goes unpaid, the district can’t enforce collection because it does not have an official policy.

Wehrs said the department responds to 80 to 90 calls a year, although only five to 10 of those are fire-related, such as a structure, vehicle or grass fire. Wehrs estimates the department could recoup about $5,000 a year if the district begins charging for fire calls.

The state also reimburses the fire district up to $500 when firefighters are called to a vehicle fire on Interstate 90, Wehrs said.

Wehrs said those against creating a user fee have said people might hesitate to call the fire department for fear they’d be billed.

Either way, Oldenburg said he hopes it doesn’t come to that.

“We hope everything will come out in the end to get the money we need to keep them safe, so they can do their job,” he said.

To start charging for fire calls, each municipality the district covers — West Salem, and the towns of Barre and Hamilton — would have to approve the change.

In November 2005, the La Crosse Common Council approved a measure to charge non-city residents who had to be extricated from vehicles after crashes. Seven people since have been charged $265 each for extrication, Cleveland said.

La Crosse Tribune reporter Anne Jungen contributed to this story. Matthew Perenchio is assistant editor for the Coulee News.

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