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Benefit Service Charge
Taxpayer Notifications have been mailed. These notifications will explain the Benefit Service Charge (BSC) and tell you the amount applicable to your property.
The staff of Duvall-King County Fire Protection District 45 (Duvall-KCFD 45) strive to promote community safety and well-being, we dedicate ourselves to the preservation of life and property by providing quality and cost-effective services to the people of our district for fire, medical emergencies, and other disasters.
The Fire Benefit Service Charge (FBSC), is calculated based on the area of buildings and other improvements on property. This calculation more closely approximates the fire risk to property and the service potentially required from Duvall-KCFD45. Since fires in buildings protected by automatic fire sprinklers tend to be contained more quickly, these properties qualify for significant discounts to the FBSC rates.
Unlike taxes, the FBSC is not based on each property’s assessed value. It is based on the total square footage of buildings, garages, barns stables, etc. on the property and the use of the property. In this regard, the owner of a commercial building of like-square footage would pay more than a residential homeowner.
The ability to adjust the FBSC in each annual budget cycle will enable the Board of Fire Commissioners to maintain Duvall-KCFD45’s high standard of service levels. As a result, residents with homes valued near the median home price in the Duvall, Lake Margaret, and Lake Marcel areas should experience very little change in the direct cost of fire and aid services over the course of the next six years. The Board of Fire Commissioners continues to maintain reserve funds for apparatus, equipment replacement purchases and other capital and personnel expenditures, all from the property tax and the FBSC and not through special levies like the Maintenance & Operations Levy (which will not be collected in 2020).
Your Board of Fire Commissioners and District staff have worked diligently to focus our efforts on the programs that matter most to residents by managing our costs and consistently staying within our budget.
All of us at Duvall-KCFD45 appreciate your support of the FBSC and we look forward to continuing providing an outstanding service to our community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a separate bill for the Benefit Service Charge (BSC)? No. King county will collect the BSC with your regular property taxes. The BSC will appear as a separate line on your tax notification.
Is this a once or twice a year payment? The amount listed on your notification will be split and collected in two payments similar to regular property taxes.
Is this in addition to what I am paying now? Yes, however the tax collection for 2020 will differ from 2019. When the BSC was passed by voters in November 2019, the District decided to no longer collect the Maintenance and Operation Levy that has been in place since 2012. Also, the amount collected per $1,000 assessed valuation has also been reduced from $1.23 to $1.00.
What is this, I have never seen this before? The BSC was passed by voters in November 2019. The notice you received will be sent each year that the BSC is collected to advise you of the amount.
The square footage on my notice is incorrect. Square footage is determined by the size of your home, buildings, garages, barns stables, etc. on the property and the use of the property.
Will I end up paying more? It depends. As described on your notification, the BSC is calculated based on the area of buildings and other improvements on your property. This calculation more closely approximates the fire risk to property and the service potentially required from Duvall-KCFD45.
Is there a low-income, senior exemption? Yes. If you already have these exemptions with King County, the same will apply to the BSC and has already been calculated in the amount listed on your notice.
Is the sprinkler system discount included with the rates listed on the notice? No. King County does not collect/maintain this information. If you have a sprinkler system, please submit an appeals form along with documentation describing the system. The discount for having a sprinkler system is 10%.
Will my property tax bill be corrected if my appeal is approved? Yes, any changes in calculation will be submitted to King County and you will receive a revised property tax bill.
Questions may be sent to or call 425-788-1625
The appeals hearing originally scheduled at 10am on March 11, 2020 has has been changed to 7pm on March 11, 2020
Hiring - Part-Time Facilities Support Services
Duvall-King County Fire District 45 is accepting applications for a part-time Facilities Support Services position. The starting hourly rate is $23.07. Applications must be received by 5pm January 24, 2020.
Questions or inquiries may be sent to Kelly Gattone, kgattone@duvallfire45.com.
New Fire Station
As we move through the construction of your new fire stations, information and photographs will be posted here. To date, the trees have been cleared to make way for construction to begin.
The station is scheduled to open October 2020!
As documents become available, they may be accessed on the New Fire Station section of our website.
Should you have questions after reviewing the documents, please contact us at 425-788-1625.
Hiring - Two Lateral Firefighters
The District is hiring two lateral firefighters with a start date of March 1, 2020. Interested parties must complete testing through National Testing Network (NTN) www.nationaltestingnetwork.com. Testing will open on Friday December 6, 2019 and must be completed by Friday December 27, 2019
Fifteen candidates moving forward in the process will be invited to fill out the District Employment Application. Do NOT fill out the District application until invited to do so.
The department requires the candidate PHQ. You can access the questionnaire through your candidate account. The PHQ must be completed by the closing date or you may not be considered further in the process.
Salary Information: $6,861.70/month (90% of top firefighter pay)
Benefit Information: Medical, Dental, Vacation, Sick Leave, Deferred Compensation, state retirement (LEOFF)
Job requirements and additional information is available on the NTN website.
Hiring Schedule
12/6/19 Testing Opens
12/27/19 Testing Closes
12/30/19 Top 15 Applicants Named
1/4/20 Driving and Skills Testing (contingent date of 1/11/20 due to weather)
1/6/20 Applications Emailed
1/15/20 Applications Due
1/28/20 & 1/29/20 Panel Interviews
1/30/20 & 1/31/20 Chief Interviews
2/3/20 Conditional Offer of Employment and Hiring List Created
2/3/20 – 2/14/20 Medical & Psychological Exams
3/1/20 First Day of Employment
Additional Information: Job Description, Hiring Process
CPAT is not required for lateral candidates. As a part of the conditional offer of employment, the District Physical Capability Assessment must be successfully completed.
Board of Commissioner Meetings
The Board of Commissioners of Duvall-King County Fire District 45 hold meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 10:00 AM. The meetings are held at the Headquarters station located at 15600 First Ave NE, Duvall, WA.
BLS CPR/AED & First Aid Training
Duvall Fire offers BLS CPR/AED and First Aid training.
The CPR/AED training includes lecture and hands-on experience and after successful completion of the class, the student will receive a certification card that is good for two years.
The First Aid training, that can be taken in conjunction with the CPR/AED class or separately, teaches individuals the fundamental basics for rendering first aid.
Please consider signing up for one or both of these opportunities to prepare yourself to have the confidence and training to handle emergencies that may occur.