Rural fire chiefs lay out equipment and staffing needs as costs climb

Rural fire chiefs from Saline County’s seven districts presented budget requests and operational updates during the July 28 study session, citing steep increases in equipment and maintenance costs that are pressuring local volunteer services.

Justin Adi (speaker 5), chief of Rural Fire District 1, said operating costs have risen sharply: “Just for a set of bunker gear since 2024, it's went up 16%… Our pumps… have went up 20%,” he told the commission while explaining a requested budget increase from $160,000 to $175,000 for 2027. District 1 also noted additional utility and maintenance costs tied to two recently built stations.

Scott Abcar (speaker 12), chief of Saline County Fire District 3, described capital needs after recent storm damage and a Brookville station rebuild funded partly by ARPA and local foundations: “We went from 160,000 to 217,000 over the course of 2 years,” he said, pointing to insurance and construction as key drivers. David Turner (speaker 16) and other chiefs highlighted an aging fleet (including an aerial truck approaching 20 years) and rising replacement costs; one estimate for a new aerial apparatus approached $1.2–1.4 million, with a possible refurbishment option substantially cheaper.

Commissioners probed about shared-service reimbursements, cross‑county jurisdictional tax arrangements and mutual aid cost recovery. Staff noted these reimbursement flows appear on the revenue side of district budgets and can offset some costs. Commissioners signaled sympathy for volunteer departments while noting county budget constraints and the need to weigh tax-rate impacts.