Wildwood resident urges Creve Coeur council to publicize Monarch Fire Proposition A ahead of August ballot

Lauren Edens, a Wildwood resident who said she is speaking as a private citizen, urged the Creve Coeur City Council to make residents aware of Monarch Fire Protection District's Proposition A, a sales-tax measure on the August ballot that would raise local revenue for ambulances, staffing and turnout gear. "Monarch is a 62.7 mile square district with over 80,000 residents served," Edens told the council, and added the district currently operates five stations but only four ambulances and three shifts with about 34 employees.

Edens said the district expects population growth of roughly 12,000 residents in neighboring Chesterfield and an aging population that is driving up call volume. "If you think about only 4 ambulances in the district, that means there's 1 ambulance right now for every 20,000 people," she said, and warned that some calls can take about 45 minutes round trip. Edens also pointed to response-time risk, saying a delay can have life-or-death consequences: "You could be waiting potentially for 12 minutes for an ambulance. Brain death occurs in 6 minutes from lack of oxygen." She said a new ambulance costs about $500,000 and that part of the ballot measure funds would replace turnout gear to reduce firefighter and EMS firefighter exposures to carcinogenic materials.

Edens described the proposed funding mechanism as a 0.19% sales tax (expressed in the record as "19¢ on the assessed home example") and said that for a home assessed at about $400,000 the tax would equate to roughly $12 per month. She said the package would provide an ambulance to stations 1 and 2 and hire about 21 personnel while also putting turnout-gear replacement on a schedule. Edens encouraged residents with questions to consult Monarch's website and to contact Chief Adams for details.

The council accepted public comment and proceeded with its agenda; Edens spoke during the general-public comment portion of the meeting.