As Wye develops, county looks to ensure fire and emergency services are adequate

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) As the Wye transitions to a new urban center with a growing population base and thousands of new homes, Missoula County looks to ensure the area is properly served by fire and emergency services.

Commissions on Thursday approved $150,000 in funding from two Targeted Economic Development Districts (TEDDs) established at the Wye to gain an understanding of the services the booming area will require, and how to fund them.

“This will involve looking ahead at predicting what's necessary to meet future demands effectively in these areas,” said Lauren Ryan, a county development specialist. “Our objective is to ensure that as the community grows in this area, that fire protection services can keep pace and provide adequate services.”

The county adopted the Wye Infrastructure Plan earlier this year to get ahead of current and future growth. The area is expected to develop into a small city and accommodate thousands of new jobs, houses and commercial spaces.

Much of that development has already begun, but the Wye – a once-rural interstate exchange – lacks the infrastructure needed to support that growth. Several years ago, the county adopted two TEDDs to begin capturing tax increment, which will help fund the area's infrastructure.

“The plan is a key step toward ensuring the infrastructure and services can meet the demand now and in the future,” said Ryan. “The assessment will set the stage in understanding the current capabilities of fire and emergency services, and identify the gaps and needs for fire and emergency services.”

Growing Need for Fire and Emergency Services

The Wye study area spans more than 3,600 acres. According to the county, around 55% of that is served by the Frenchtown Rural Fire District while 36% lies with the Missoula Rural Fire District.

Currently, Missoula Rural has 59 full-time employees and operates on a budget of $14 million. The department responds to roughly 10 calls a day and operates five stations staffed 24 hours a day.

In contrast, Frenchtown Rural has one station staffed 24-hours a day and claims nine full-time employees, along with a host of volunteers. It generally receives two calls a day and operates on a $2.2 million budget.

Both departments are expected to respond to a growing number of calls as the Wye develops. Frenchtown Rural Fire District Chief Damien Frisby welcomed the assessment.

“Hopefully, it can help us in our future endeavors in taking care of our districts,” he said.

The Wye's Future

The county's new Wye infrastructure plan identified more than 1,200 acres planned for residential neighborhoods and around 1,100 acres suited for industrial development. Over the next 50 years, the county envisions up to 15,000 new homes and 7.7 million square feet of industrial space.

But the growth has already unfolded and within the next 20 years, the Wye will accommodate 3,500 homes and 1.5 million square feet of industrial space.

“With this study, we're hoping to get a handle on how much revenue actually will be needed compared to how much growth happens,” said Commission Josh Slotnick. “As we move forward, we can modulate how much revenue comes into the TEDDs and how much goes back in the jurisdictions, to make sure we can get the fire districts the dollars they need to provide the level of public safety that's actually required inside the district.”