Sublimity Fire District is a rural volunteer fire district that serves 44 square miles east of Salem, OR. Our experience is that fire districts are always highly regarded in the communities they serve, but passing a measure to replace fire engines can be difficult simply because they are generally very well maintained and cared for. They look good on the outside, so the community’s perception is that they must be in good operating condition.
In this community, helping residents understand that replacing existing fire engines with new engines would significantly save the district in annual operating and maintenance costs – issues identified by Nelson Research research – was the key to building the level of support needed to pass a $950,000 bond measure in May 2012.