Response time is crucial when it comes to first responders. In fact, response time is the rock upon which their house is built. This holds true for fire, police and rescue personnel across the board. It doesn’t matter if you’re serving a rural, suburban or metropolitan area: You have to react fast when the need arises. And response time also matters when we’re gauging public officials’ performances. In the case of the city of Lake Geneva, officials have been asked to respond to a $150,000 budget increase for the fire department which will allow for 24/7 service. It’s a request that would bring the 2018 proposed budget for the department to $1.2 million total, and it’s an upgrade that Mayor Alan Kupsick endorses.