Pasco Fire Department Could Face $300,000 Shortfall

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Story Published: Jun 5, 2009 at 4:55 PM PST

By Chelsea Kopta

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PASCO -- Talk about turning up the heat in a new job. He's been on the job exactly five months to the day and now Pasco Fire Chief Bob Gear is set for a shortfall this fire season.

"Just another new challenge in my new job," Gear said.

Sales tax revenue is way down this year in the City of Pasco since people just aren't spending the money they way they used to there, and that's rough on firefighters since it's their major source of income.

"That's a real concern for the city," Gear said.

That real concern is up to $300,000 less for their operating budget.

"We're being very careful with the call-back of off-duty people and whatever we can to just make up the difference.," Gear said.

Plus, the chief's waiting to renew nozzles, radios and rescue equipment, keeping overtime hours down, and reducing some training opportunities

"At some point, there has to be some impact from that because you have to use equipment longer than you should or can," he said. "There's no free ride."

"Right now we're looking pretty good in our budget, half way through the year," Benton County Fire District #1 Division Chief Michael Harris said.

Benton County Fire District one won't have to make major cutbacks thanks to property taxes. But it's still not enough to cover all the expenses between must-haves "and nice-to-haves. those are the the ones we have to cut back on."

They'll replace gear in shifts, rather than all at once and pull resources from other departments.

"We may balance that and rely on our neighbors like Kennewick, Richland, Fire District #4, West Richland, Benton City or even Pasco," Harris said.

No matter what, the Chief says you won't notice a difference. The quality of service should be seamless.

"So what should I tell people who are watching? Go shop?" Action News asked? "Well, there's not much," Gear said. "It will right itself eventually."

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