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Making Our Emergency Services Closer, Faster, Safer
Five Facts About Prop. A Vote ‐ Tuesday, August 6
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Making Our Emergency Services Closer,Faster,Safer
Five Facts About Prop. A Vote ‐ Tuesday, August 6

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

About Prop. A

  • What is Prop. A?

  • Prop. A is a proposal on the August 6, 2024 ballot to provide faster emergency response, improve firefighter/paramedic training and update fire, rescue and emergency medical equipment.

    If approved by voters, it will provide funding to: 

    • Provide more ambulances closer to residents.

    • Add fully-staffed ambulances to fire stations 1 and 2.

    • Update firefighter protective gear

    • Ensure the district can regularly update and provide firefighting and emergency medical gear, equipment and supplies.

    The plan was developed by the community through the Monarch NEXT public engagement program conducted earlier this year.

  • Why is now the time for Prop. A?

  • Currently the district operates four ambulances to serve more than 80,000 residents in 62.7 square miles. Since 2000, the emergency medical service call volume has doubled to more than 6,300 a year, but the number of ambulances has remained the same.

    This is causing a strain on the four ambulances the district operates. Additionally, the projected increase in population in the next two to five years will further strain these ambulances, further increasing response time across the district. Today, it can take an ambulance up to ten minutes or more to arrive at an emergency scene. This is longer than the national standard of six minutes.

    The District often cannot meet the demand for timely ambulance service and must rely on help from neighboring fire districts such as those in St. Charles, Maryland Heights and Ballwin. We need to provide 

    In addition, emergency response is constantly changing, requiring our firefighter/paramedics to adapt to new challenges and technologies. Our first responders need to be well-trained and equipped to respond effectively, save lives and keep our community safe. Our current firefighter/paramedic protective gear is out of date and contains coatings now linked to cancer. For the safety of emergency responders, this gear must be replaced, and other important emergency medical, fire and rescue equipment must also be updated.

  • What happens if we decide to leave things as they are?

  • As our area continues to grow, our EMS call volumes continue to rise. If we do not add new ambulances and staff, response times will continue to increase and we will continue to rely on neighboring districts to respond to emergency medical situations in our district.

    In addition, our gear will remain out of date and will pose continued health safety issues to our firefighters. Delaying necessary these additions and updates will also result in higher expenses in the future.

  • Where would the new ambulances be stationed?

  • One fully-staffed ambulance would be added to Fire Station #2 (18424 Wild Horse Creek Rd, Wildwood, MO 63005) to help provide service to the western part of the district. This means that the other ambulances will be able to stay closer to their “home” stations and serve the residents closest to them, allowing for quicker response times throughout the district.

    The addition of one more ambulance and staff at Fire Station #1 (15700 Baxter Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017) would further improve coverage across the district. This will increase our ability to handle high call volumes in the central core of the district between Hwy 141 and Kehrs Mill Rd where the majority of our growth is occuring. 

    Both of these allow for quicker response times districtwide, which can increase the chances of survival in a life threatening emergency. For example, if someone is suffering from a heart attack or other situation where oxygen cannot reach the brain, brain death can occur in six minutes.

  • How would Prop. A impact our taxes?

  • Monarch’s tax rate is the lowest in the area and it has not been increased in 35 years. The district strives to be good stewards of our residents’ tax dollars, and we’ve stretched those dollars as far as we can without sacrificing the quality of services. 

    Despite collecting the maximum amount allowed by private medical insurance and Medicare, it still costs more to run an ambulance call than what is reimbursed - and these costs keep rising.

    Prop. A includes a 19-cent operating rate increase, which would cost the owner of a home valued at $400,000 around $12 per month. With this increase, Monarch’s tax rate would remain amongst the lowest in the area and amongst similar size districts.

  • I have a question. How can I find out more?

  • If you have a question, please ask here. To learn more, email [email protected] or call (314) 514-0900.

About The Fire Protection District

  • Who does the Monarch Fire Protection District serve?

  • We serve over 80,000 residents across 62.7 square miles in all or part of the cities of 

    Ballwin, Chesterfield, Clarkson Valley, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, Wildwood, Unincorporated St. Louis County. This includes 18,896 single family homes, 2,810 Multi-Family residences, 18 Duplex/Townhomes, 766 commercial buildings, 30 schools (including preschools), 36 senior citizen housing/health care centers, railroads, an interstate highway, an airport, part of the Missouri River, and large industrial properties.

  • What services does MFPD provide?

  • Our services include, fire suppression, emergency medical services (EMS), rescue, including high angle, confined space, swift water, boat, structural collapse, and auto extrication, hazardous materials incidents and a tactical response team. We also offer public emergency training like CPR classes as well as fire extinguisher training and a fire escape trailer. From a fire prevention perspective, we do building code inspections, plan reviews and evacuation drills.

Ambulances & Emergency Medical Services

  • How many ambulances does the district have?

  • The Monarch Fire Protection District has four ambulances. They are located at:

    • Fire Station #1 at 15700 Baxter Rd., Chesterfield

    • Fire Station #3 at1201 Fernview Dr., St. Louis

    • Fire Station #4 at 14898 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield

    • Fire Station #5 at 155 Long Rd., Chesterfield

  • What happens if the ambulance from the fire station closest to my house is on another call when I call 911?

  • When an MFPD crew is dispatched to a call, emergency coverage for their designated area is transferred to the crew from the next nearest fire station. This ensures there is always a team ready to respond, but it may result in longer response times because the station is farther away. Due to current gaps in coverage, residents are also reliant on mutual aid from neighboring districts in areas such as St. Charles, Ballwin and Maryland Heights for their EMS care.

  • Does MFPD charge for ambulance transport?

  • Yes, MFPD charges up to the amount allowed by private medical insurance and medicare. However, the cost of the ambulance transport far exceeds the amount of money we are reimbursed by the insurance company or medicare. As a district resident, you will not receive a bill at this point. We will only bill your insurance. For non-residents, we will bill them directly if their insurance does not cover our cost.

  • What is mutual aid?

  • In emergency services, mutual aid is an agreement among emergency responders to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries. This occurs due to an emergency response that exceeds local resources.

  • How often do Monarch Fire Protection District residents rely on Mutual aid?

  • In 2023, over 450 calls had to be turned over to mutual aid. This means paramedics from communities such as St. Charles, Pattonville, Creve Coeur, Ballwin and Maryland Heights needed to travel into Monarch to provide aid because a Monarch ambulance was not available. In addition to longer response times this also means Monarch does not receive revenue for those calls.

    Additionally, Monarch was only asked to respond to approximately 220 calls for help from our neighboring communities for EMS calls. We received more than double what we provide, which is another metric that shows we are out of alignment in terms of service model versus demand.

  • How long will it take to receive a new ambulance for our district?

  • Right now, the wait period is approximately three years from the time the order is placed.

  • How will Monarch staff the new ambulances?

  • Twenty-one additional firefighter/paramedics will be hired to fully staff the two new ambulances and the necessary subsequent support staff to sustainably expand our services. Each shift will be assigned a total of 7 additional full-time firefighters to accomplish this task. This will increase our assigned staff from 34 to 41 per shift.

Firefighter Personal Protective (PPE) Equipment

  • What is firefighter PPE?

  • Firefighter PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is the gear that firefighters wear to protect themselves while performing their duties. It includes:

    • Helmet: Protects the head from falling debris, heat, and impacts.

    • Turnout/Bunker Gear: A jacket and pants made of fire-resistant materials to protect against heat, flames, and some hazardous chemicals.

    • Gloves: Made from heat-resistant materials to protect the hands from burns and cuts.

    • Boots: Sturdy, heat-resistant footwear that protects the feet from sharp objects, chemicals, and extreme temperatures.

    • Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): Provides clean air to breathe in smoke-filled or toxic environments.

    • Hood: Made of fire-resistant fabric to protect the neck, ears, and parts of the face not covered by the helmet.

    • Eye Protection: Safety goggles or face shields to protect against smoke, debris, and chemicals.

    • Hearing Protection: Earplugs or earmuffs to protect against loud noises.

    • PASS Device (Personal Alert Safety System): An alarm system that activates if the firefighter is motionless for a certain period, aiding in rescue operations.

  • Why is the current PPE considered out of date?

  • While the district maintains a regular equipment replacement schedule, increased costs have made it nearly impossible to keep that schedule. 

    Our firefighters’ turnout gear (the coat and pants firefighters wear) is also aging and out of date. Exposure to harsh chemicals on fire scenes coupled with gear that has been found to be laden with PFAS (Polyflournated Substances) are contributing to high levels of cancer, other illnesses and death at a rate of 15% higher than the rest of the population.

    Due to advances in technology in the textiles used to make turnout gear, gear without PFAS is now available and would be the goal for all future purchases.

    Our firefighters’ Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)s are at the end of their lifespans and need to be replaced. These are the masks and air tank systems that enable firefighters to breathe and communicate when working a fire.

  • How are rising equipment and supply costs impacting the district?

  • Like many things the cost of fire, emergency medical and rescue supplies and equipment continue to rise. Additional revenue is needed to cover the costs of things like:

    • Ambulance equipment improvements for items such as: monitors, CPAP/BiPap ventilators, autopulse, IV pumps, powerloaders, stretchers and stair chairs.

    • Ambulance repair and maintenance

    • Supplies like medications, IV kits, fluids, bandages and oxygen supplies.

Funding & Finance

  • How is the fire district funded?

  • The fire district is primarily funded through local property taxes and supplemented by ambulance fees and building permits.

  • When was the last time the residents voted to increase the district’s residential tax rate?

  • We haven’t had an operating tax-increase in 35 years. The district’s current residential tax rate is $0.8040, which is the lowest in the area. We have worked tirelessly to be good stewards of our resident’s tax dollars and have made them stretch as far as we can, based on future projections.

  • How does the growth in our community impact the district’s revenue?

  • The Hancock Amendment, passed in Missouri in 1980, plays a significant role in this. Under the Hancock Amendment fire districts and other taxing entities are restricted in how much they can increase property tax revenue without voter approval. This means that even if property values increase, the tax rates themselves are not automatically raised. Instead, tax rates are often rolled back to ensure that the revenue growth does not exceed the limits set by the amendment, specifically the lower of the inflation rate, the actual growth in personal income of the state, or 5% as a cap. For example from 2014-2024, home values rose 55% while our revenue only increased 37% during that time, a 1/3 reduction in revenue that would otherwise be collected.

    Therefore, if your property value has increased over the past 35 years your taxes would increase even though the tax rate itself has not changed. This occurs because your property taxes are calculated based on the assessed value of your property. As the value of your property rises, so does your tax bill, even if the tax rate remains constant.

    Through the years, Monarch has been able to manage with the revenue generated by the existing tax rate, however this is becoming increasingly more difficult.  Facing rising equipment and supply costs, the continually increasing number of EMS calls and the need to add two ambulances and firefighter/paramedics, all lead to budgetary needs that exceed the amount that is being collected.

     
  • What is the Hancock Amendment?

  • The Hancock amendment is a law in Missouri that limits the amount of revenue that local governments, including fire districts, can collect from property taxes. It was designed to protect taxpayers from excessive tax increases.

    Under the Hancock amendment, if property values increase, the tax rate must be lowered to ensure that the total amount of revenue collected does not exceed a certain limit. This means that even if your home's value goes up, your property taxes may not necessarily increase.

    However, if the fire district you live in has not had a budget increase to account for the increased property values, they may not be able to provide the same level of services without a tax rate increase. This could result in a situation where your property taxes go up even though the fire district's budget has not increased proportionally.

    In summary, the Hancock amendment can impact property taxes in situations where property values increase but the local government's budget does not increase accordingly. This can lead to the need for higher taxes for homeowners in order to maintain essential services provided by the fire district.

     
  • How will this impact our residential tax rate?

  • The residential tax rate would increase $0.19 cents. Even with this increase, Monarch remains one of the lowest fire districts in the area.

    2023 Residential Tax Rate

    Chart Showing 2023 Residential Tax Rate

    Proposed Residential Tax Rate

    Chart Showing Proposed Residential Tax Rate

Voting

  • How will Prop. A appear on the ballot?

  • Prop. A will appear on the August 6 ballot as follows. The format and language of the proposal are written as required by election law.

    Shall the Board of Directors of the Monarch Fire Protection District be authorized to levy an additional tax in the general tax levy of not more than nineteen cents ($0.19) per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation to provide funds to improve the fire, rescue, and emergency medical services in the District?

  • When is the election?

  • Election Day is Tuesday, August 6. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Who can vote in the August 6 election?

  • All registered voters in the Monarch Fire Protection District are eligible to vote in this election. A person may vote in any election who:

    • Is a citizen of the United States and is at least 18 years old

    • Has been a resident of Missouri and the fire district for at least 28 days before the election

    • Has registered to vote by July 10, 2024

    • Is not registered to vote in another jurisdiction

  • What type of ID do I need to bring to polls to vote?

  • According to the Missouri Secretary of State (link to https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote), you are now required to show one of the forms of acceptable identification and sign the poll book to obtain your ballot:

    • A non-expired Missouri driver or non-driver license;

    • A non-expired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card;

    • A non-expired United States passport; or

    • Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri which is either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.

    If you do not possess any of these forms of identification but are a registered voter, you may cast a provisional ballot. Your ballot will count if: (1) you return to your polling place on Election Day with a photo ID; or (2) the signature on your provisional ballot envelope is determined by your local election authority to match the signature on your voter registration record.