Verde Valley Fire seeks $15.5 million bond to shore up radios, build Clarkdale station and address firefighter hazards

Danny Johnson, fire chief of the Verde Valley Fire District, told the Clarkdale Town Council on Aug. 26 that the district will ask voters this November to approve a $15.5 million general-obligation bond aimed only at capital projects such as radio infrastructure, station construction and safety renovations.

The presentation said the district’s call volume has risen roughly 58% over the past decade while many capital costs have jumped: chief Johnson cited a 241% rise in workers’ compensation costs, a roughly 128% increase in fire-engine prices (from about $440,000 a decade ago to just over $1 million for a recent engine) and double-digit increases for cardiac monitors and turnout gear. He said general-obligation bonds cover capital only and cannot be used for ongoing personnel or operating expenses.

Why it matters: Johnson said that parts of the Verde Valley, including much of Clarkdale, now have limited or no radio reception, which can delay requests for mutual aid or aerial resources during wildfires and other emergencies. He described repeaters more than a decade old, sites affected by weather, and a current configuration with only two working repeaters; consultants’ coverage models showed…