FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – If you live in the unified fire district in Florence County, you’ll have a pay little more.
Thursday, Florence County Council passed an ordinance that will have vehicle owners pay for first responder services.
The ordinance was just the latest change to help with first responders.
“We discussed it two years. The reason we are doing that is because most of the calls now come from vehicle accidents because we have to go to them,” said Florence County Council Vice-Chairman Kent Caudle.
Vehicle owners within Florence County’s unified fire district will have to pay an annual $10 service fee for emergency medical services and a $23 fee for fire and rescue services.
It would also remove the existing $25 parcel fee for property owners to use those same services.
“If you have a need for first responder, ems, fire…I’d gladly pay that $8 and it is serving everybody. It’s not just serving those in Florence, those in Timmonsville and those,” Caudle mentioned.
The money coming in would help increase the county’s reserve funds by $400,000 in a full year.
Caudle hopes it will help to fund equipment, along with other necessities for first responders.
“When you sit there and look at the budgets, the costs of things is amazing,” he stated.
Council passed the ordinance by a unanimous vote.
The new fees go into effect July 1st, depending on when you have to update your vehicle registration.