Rising call volume in the Lady Lake portion of The Villages has prompted an increase in the fire service fee paid to The Villages Public Safety Department.
The residential rate for the fire assessment fee in Lady Lake had been at $90.11 since 2011.
“The Villages Fire Rescue Division has recently completed an internal analysis of fire protection services provided, as required by the Interlocal Government Agreement, between the Town of Lady to include the enclave portions of The Villages and The Villages Center Community Development Districts. As a result of our analysis, we have determined that there has been a significant increase in service demands which has resulted in an increase in internal resources in an effort to meet those service delivery demands,” Chief Edmund Cain said in a letter to the town.
The annual call volume in 2004 was 1,738 calls for service. The annual call volume for 2018 has risen to 4,464 calls for service, totaling a 157 percent increase in service demand.
As a result, the fire assessment fee is being raised to $124 per residential unit.
The fire chief also presented information showing that the vast majority of calls in the Lady Lake portion of The Villages are medical calls.
He added that The Villages Public Safety Department fire station at Paradise on the Historic Side is one of the busiest fire stations in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
