Manteca Fire Department counting on new tax measure to shorten response time
MANTECA – The city of Manteca is introducing a 3/4 cent tax measure that they say can help the city's fire department that is spread thin right now.
Manteca is the second busiest fire department in San Joaquin County with just under 11,000 calls every year.
Station 2 is the busiest station in the department with around 4,000 calls annually, but they have a lot of ground to cover.
As the city expands so does the need for a new fire station, but the city doesn't have the money.
"In the last five years the city has grown exponentially in the Southwest part of town so there are several thousands of homes out there that really don't have adequate fire protection," said Manteca Fire Chief David Marques.
That expansion is now running his fire crews thin.
"If your house catches on fire and we're not there for 10-12 minutes, that's not a good thing," he said.
One of the department's biggest goals is to build a new fire station out in the southwest part of the city to keep up with expansion.
Chief Marques said response times to this area can take up to 10 minutes and new engines and new staffing can really help. But that doesn't come cheap.
"With the city's current financial situation, there is no funding available for a new fire station or the personnel to staff it," said Marques.
With the city's budget approved, the department has to make it through these 11 months with the equipment and stations they have now.
The city introduced a new tax measure onto the November ballot to hopefully speed things up.
Manteca City Manager Toni Lundgren provided the following statement to CBS13:
"Our fire department is facing critical needs with a 43% rise in call volume and severely outdated facilities. That is why a sales tax measure is needed to fund new stations, equipment, and additional personnel to ensure adequate response times and the level of fire service our community deserves."
Homeowners in that area of concern say the department does need a boost, but they want to see where all the tax money is going and they want to see it all into that new station.