Economic Factors, Policy Landscape Lead to Budget Shortfall
Community fire prevention, protection, and medical emergency services are at risk.
South Metro Fire Rescue is facing an immediate budget shortfall due to years of rising costs, consistent increases in calls for services, and new state legislation. Without new revenue, the organization will not be able to maintain the high level of service of fire and emergency services residents and businesses deserve, and have come to expect.
The Challenge
Across the 12 cities and towns and three counties – and 571,500 residents – South Metro serves, there’s been a 20 percent increase in calls for service since 2019. This includes structure, vehicle, and wildland fi res; explosions and hazmat incidents; water rescues; vehicle crashes; public or police assistance; and medical emergencies.
Emergency medical calls now account for 65 percent of all response by South Metro - and this is expected to increase with an aging population.
In addition to continual increases in demand, South Metro’s costs continue to rise.
Since 2019, the cost for a fi re engine has gone from $725,000 to $1.3 million (a 79 percent increase). During that same period, protective bunker gear has gone from $4,321 to $6,047 (a 40 percent increase).
The Bottom Line
To continue providing quality fire and emergency response, South Metro needs an additional $34 million annually. That’s on top of a significant shortfall caused by new state legislation that reduces the property tax revenue collected by $16 million in 2026 and $270 million over 10 years.
South Metro is working to identify how to generate $50 million in additional funding annually to address the shortfall and ongoing demands.
Learn More and Provide Input
The Board of Directors is engaged in ongoing conversations to gather input from the community and stakeholders. No decisions have been made and all options are on the table. Learn more about the challenges facing South Metro - and the funding solutions under consideration – by visiting our Engage South Metro website.