Voters in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls are now paying a little more in taxes to help fund emergency services struggling to keep up with increased calls. That's thanks to referendum questions passed last November,
In Eau Claire, Deputy Fire Chief Allyn Bertrang said the department has been able to get needed equipment, improve stations, and make several new and necessary hires.
"Call volumes are increasing every year and the need for service is increasing every year," Deputy Chief Bertrang said.
One focus of the referendum was to fully staff and equip Fire Station 6 on Eau Claire's south side, with the goal of faster response times across the city. "We're still on track to have that fully staffed, I believe by the end of June," Deputy Chief Bertrang said.
They're still looking for five more firefighters: three additional ones from the referendum, and two because of retirements.