Kevin Woods lives just west of Mobile Regional Airport.
And he’s getting more and more new neighbors every day.
“I think there’s a lot of development going on, new homes. As the city has grown, as the area has grown, it’s brought a tremendous amount of new individuals to the area.”
And when he moved here, he thought he was protected by the fire station near the airport.
But… that’s a city fire station.
Kevin has since learned he and his neighbors are served by a volunteer fire station much further down the road.
“I decided to go learn about it and started attending the monthly meetings that the fire district puts on,” says Kevin. “I know exactly how it works today. It’s opened my eyes in a big, big way.”
Kevin now knows that he is among 14 thousand people in a 42 square miles area who depend on the 100% volunteer Seven Hills Fire Department for fire protection and other emergencies.
And that number is growing… fast, says Seven Hills Fire District Chief Matt Waltman.
“Geographical, you know, geographical wise, we haven’t really changed so much over 40 years, but population density has exploded tremendously. And so, with the expansion of the residential growth, and now we’re starting to see commercial growth coming out this way, we have to change our response model and how we respond.”
It’s something his department has documented in this video on the district’s web site.
And now, Chief Waltman is using that web site to make a case for asking those they serve for a fire levy increase from the current $70 per customer per year to $150 per year.
“We need to add another fire station,” says the chief, “bring it online, put it in a strategic location that better, you know, advances, you know, improves our response table coming out to the area. We need to bring on some more apparatus to staff that station. But we will be bringing on some paid personnel to help supplement the volunteer force.”
The fire levies are assessed through property taxes in the affected areas.
Waltman says most seniors can opt out of paying those levies.
But he’s hoping taking the time to educate those living in the Seven Hills district will convince them of the need… something he says wasn’t done successfully when the last increase was voted on 4 years ago.
“That’s why we were wanting to be engaged with them, holding several meetings and also encouraging them to come to our monthly board meetings for any questions that they have.”
…something Kevin Woods says he’s already doing.
“These are wonderful people that do the work for us today, but they need help.”
Would he support and increase should it come to a vote?
“Definitely.”
Chief Waltman says the district will hold several question-and-answer sessions with residents over the next several months.
The first is next Thursday, February 26 at 7 p-m at Pathway Church’s West Mobile campus at 10775 Airport Blvd.
You can also visit the Seven Hills Fire District for additional information at http://www.sevenhillsfd.org/content/firefee/
