Calling 911 could cost hundreds, if not thousands, in Roselle fire district

In most communities, residents pay taxes to cover the cost of firefighters and emergency vehicles responding to their home in case of a fire.

Those living the Roselle Fire Protection District -- which covers communities in unincorporated areas near Roselle, Bloomingdale, Schaumburg, Itasca, Elk Grove Village and Medinah -- pay taxes too. But starting Jan. 1, those 11,000 residents could end up paying additional fees if they dial 911 for fire assistance. A resident in that area could be charged anywhere from $580 for an average call to thousands of dollars in case of a major emergency.

It's an unusual move, and officials are unclear if insurance would pickup the tab.

"It is kind of unique," Roselle Fire Protection District Trustee Tommy King said. "But that's why we did it for only one year, to see the reaction."

The fire protection district board of trustees voted Wednesday to approve a one-year cost-sharing contract with the village of Roselle that will allow the village to charge district residents $30 per hour for every firefighter that responds to a fire, plus $100 per hour for each emergency vehicle.

The district has no firehouse of its own and relies on the manpower and equipment of the Roselle Fire Department. District officials said they had hoped to avoid the fees, but they can no longer afford to pay the village for services.

The district has asked voters for a tax increase four times in recent years. It hasn't had a successful request in more than 30 years.

"The preferred way was for taxpayers to vote 'yes,' but that didn't work and the fire chief needs to run the fire department," King said.

The 11,000 residents who could be impacted by fees do not live within Roselle village boundaries. While it would be considered double taxation for the district to charge them, it appears legal for the village to do so. Since the 11,000 live outside the village, boundaries, they pay taxes to the fire district, but not to the village itself.

Roselle Fire Chief Bob Gallas said that 67 percent of the calls that the village received from the district in the last year were for ambulance service. He said that a large structure fire is uncommon. Between the village and the district, the fire department responded to only 11 structure calls last year, he said.

But in the event of a large fire that requires six emergency vehicles for eight hours assisted by 20 firefighters, that resident could be charged roughly $9,600. Officials are not sure if there is a state law to cap such fees.

Also, residents would be charged for mutual aid. That means they would pay the same fees for firefighters and vehicles that respond from other communities. Gallas said it has not been determined whether the village of Roselle would keep that money or give it to those communities.

These fees are not the same as ambulance billing fees, which are common to many fire departments and generally reimbursed up by insurance companies.

The contract would become final with the village board's approval. It is expected to come to a vote on Monday.

Under the old contract, the district paid 18 percent of the total budget of the Roselle fire department. In the new contract, the village agreed to lower that fee to 16.5 percent -- in addition to the new fees.

District officials say that their tax revenue is decreasing because their district is shrinking due to annexation. At the same time, the village fire department's budget is growing.