2026 REFERENDUM NOVEMBER 3RD

NEWPORT TOWNSHIP FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

2026 Referendum — Public Meeting Information

November 3, 2026 Referendum
Public information
Posted: September 17, 2026

39010 N. Caroline Avenue • Wadsworth, Illinois 60083
Emergency: 911 or (847) 623-2161 • Fire Station 1: (847) 336-1080

Fire Chief: Mark Kirschhoffer
Trustees: Jim Belli • Bruce Cramer • Kevin Zupec

YOUR FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT AT A GLANCE

Newport Township Fire Protection District has provided fire and emergency medical services to the community since 1945.

Today, the District protects approximately:

• 31.8 square miles
• Approximately 6,750 residents
• Portions of Wadsworth, Old Mill Creek, Beach Park, Russell and Millburn
• Approximately 6 miles of Interstate 94
• Approximately 5 miles of U.S. Highway 41
• Approximately 34 miles of other state and county highways
• Two major freight railroads and daily Amtrak passenger service

A District With Significant Rural and Open Areas

Approximately 57% of the Fire District consists of agricultural, open space, wildland or undeveloped property.

The Lake County Forest Preserve represents more than 22% of the District.

Less than 3% of the District is protected by fire hydrants, meaning firefighters frequently must transport water to fire scenes using tanker/tender apparatus.

EMERGENCY SERVICES IN 2025

In 2025, Newport Township Fire Protection District responded to 1,414 emergency calls.

2025 Call Volume

Of the 117 fire calls:

• 64 structure fires
• 23 vehicle fires
• 15 wildland fires

The District also provides emergency response along major highways and railroad corridors where vehicle crashes, fires and hazardous-material incidents can create additional response challenges.

STAFFING: FROM VOLUNTEERS TO A 24/7 PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Newport Township’s fire department was organized in 1945 by 51 local residents. Within one year, membership had grown to more than 75 volunteers.

Like many fire departments across the country, Newport Township has experienced a decline in volunteer staffing.

Today:

• 10 full-time firefighter/paramedics
• 16 part-time firefighter/paramedics or EMTs
• 2 fire stations
• Stations staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Only 2 department members currently reside within Newport Township
• Only 2 members continue to volunteer

Maintaining reliable staffing is essential to having personnel available when residents, motorists and visitors need emergency assistance.

TWO FIRE STATIONS SERVING THE COMMUNITY

FIRE STATION 1 — WADSWORTH

39010 N. Caroline Avenue

Station 1 was constructed in 1946 by the volunteer fire department and extensively remodeled in 2012 to provide safe quarters for firefighters staffing the station around the clock.

Station 1 is staffed by three firefighter/paramedics and a Fire Prevention Inspector during weekdays.

FIRE STATION 2 — HIGHWAY 41

43320 N. Highway 41

Station 2 opened in 2013 to improve emergency response to areas north and west of Station 1 and to provide faster access to:

• Interstate 94
• U.S. Highway 41
• Northern portions of the Fire District

Station 2 also helps address delays created by railroad congestion in downtown Wadsworth.

FIRE APPARATUS AND AMBULANCES

Emergency vehicles are significant long-term capital investments.

National fire-service standards generally recommend that apparatus more than 20 years old be placed into reserve service and that apparatus more than 30 years old be retired.

Current Fire Apparatus

The 1999 Tender/Tanker received a complete refurbishment in 2024.

Current Ambulances

Typical reliable ambulance service life is approximately 10–12 years.

FUTURE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT COSTS

Current estimated replacement costs are approximately:

Fire Engine

$1,000,000

Ambulance

$400,000

Estimated lead time for both fire engines and ambulances is approximately three years from order to delivery.

This means capital planning must begin well before an apparatus reaches the end of its useful service life.

FIRE PROTECTION RATING

Newport Township Fire Protection District currently maintains an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 4 community fire protection rating.

The rating system considers factors including fire-station location, staffing, equipment, training, water supply and other fire-protection capabilities.

For Newport Township, maintaining fire protection capabilities is particularly important because the District has very limited fire hydrant coverage.

HOW THE DISTRICT IS FUNDED

Fire protection districts receive the majority of their operating revenue from real estate property taxes.

Newport Township Fire Protection District has a relatively limited commercial and industrial tax base:

• Approximately 3% of the District is classified as commercial or industrial.
• More than 22% of the District consists of Lake County Forest Preserve property.
• Approximately 57% consists of agricultural, open space, wildland or undeveloped property.

These characteristics affect the District’s available property-tax base and its ability to fund major capital purchases.

WHY CAPITAL PLANNING MATTERS

Fire engines and ambulances are not purchased like ordinary vehicles.

The District must plan for:

Identify need → Budget → Order → Manufacturing → Delivery → Deployment

With an estimated three-year lead time, decisions about replacing emergency apparatus must be made years before an existing vehicle reaches the end of its useful life.

The District’s capital needs must also be considered alongside the cost of:

• 24/7 emergency staffing
• Fire and EMS operations
• Station maintenance
• Training
• Fuel
• Insurance
• Equipment maintenance
• Communications
• Personal protective equipment
• Emergency medical equipment

NOVEMBER 3, 2026 REFERENDUM

The November 3, 2026 referendum provides an opportunity for residents to consider the future funding needs of the Newport Township Fire Protection District.

PUBLIC MEETING PURPOSE

The purpose of this meeting is to provide residents with information about:

• The District’s current operations
• Emergency call volume
• Staffing
• Fire stations
• Apparatus and ambulance fleet
• Capital replacement needs
• The District’s tax base and funding structure
• The November 3, 2026 referendum

Residents are encouraged to review the available information, ask questions and make their own informed decision.

QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS

Residents are encouraged to ask questions regarding:

Emergency Response
How does the District respond to medical emergencies, fires, crashes and other incidents?

Staffing
How is 24/7 staffing maintained, and what challenges does the District face?

Apparatus
How are fire engines, tankers, brush trucks and ambulances maintained and replaced?

Capital Planning
How does the District plan for major equipment purchases several years in advance?

Tax Base
How does the composition of the Fire District affect available property-tax revenue?

Referendum
What would the referendum change, and how would any additional revenue be used?

Accountability
How would funds be budgeted, monitored and reported to taxpayers?

YOUR COMMUNITY. YOUR QUESTIONS. YOUR DECISION.

Newport Township Fire Protection District encourages residents to learn about the District’s operations, financial requirements and future needs before voting on November 3, 2026.

Newport Township Fire Protection District

Serving the Community Since 1945

39010 N. Caroline Avenue
Wadsworth, Illinois 60083

Emergency: 911
Fire Station 1: (847) 336-1080

Fire Chief: Mark Kirschhoffer
Trustees: Jim Belli • Bruce Cramer • Kevin Zupec