What are you doing to find funds for your team?

We are very fortunate as we are in-house funded for about 90% of our stuff. We have been having fund raisers to get an ROV but other than that it’s from in-house coffers.

 

Our team is very fortunate that our Sheriff supports us so well. Our budget was intact after the Supervisors called for a 12% reduction in the overall department budget. We have been working hard the past few years to get gear replaced, which we did and are sitting pretty for the next few years. Maintainence will be the biggest line item for us, and that line is hardly ever reduced.

Two months ago I asked for and was able to expand our team by two divers, which shocked me. I was more or less greasing the skids for the time when our budget outlook was a bit brighter, but I'll take em now.

 

RIGGINS DIVE TEAM:

The new fees proposed in connection with the Riggins Dive Team services are to fund the cost of administration, operation and maintenance of the Department’s rescue and recovery activities. Proposed Fees, to be billed per incident, are as follows:



Base Rate: $25.00 City Residents

$50.00 Area Residents (Boulder Creek-Slate Creek)

$75.00 Out of Area Residents

Mileage: $ 5.00 per mile, each way

Diver: $100.00 Per Hour, 2 Diver Minimum

Shore Support $50.00 Per Hour, Per Person

 

Here we go doing it for the money. Has this started an up roar yet? I agree with giving a bill to someone (suspect) if it involved criminal activity. But for accidents I am a bit more reserved as the citizens are already paying for emergency services.

Here is one that just came out today.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/227009?GT1=43002

Gary D.

 

Im with you, their taxes already pay for emergency services and we are getting paid to do just that...I was talking about removing vehicles from lakes/ponds and charging the insurance company, since they are paying the wrecker anyway...In fact, if there wasn't a dive team available, the insurance company would have to pay a salvage diver anyway....But again, we have no method to collect..and probably not worth the headache with all that accountability...

 

If you are talking about vehicles, put them in an impound yard with a $75 per day storage fee with a $250 tow charge. Someone has to pay it to retrieve the car, including the insurance company if they total it out. Adjusters should not be able to examine the vehicle until the fee is paid.

It may not go to the dive team per se but it is a viable income for the municipality which now makes the team a contributor to the coffers rather than a just a drain. I say a drain because no one seems to recognize any service that does not contribute to the fund regardless of the hazards they work through.

 

Could you guys possibly get equipment sponsors, or offer training for whatever cert agencies with comprable but slightly cheaper rates and have profits go to dive team? I know for PBSO their shooting range they charge 5 bucks just to shoot (provide your own ammo) for residents and outa county is like 10 a head which I would imagine the money collected from the weekend civilian shooters goes towards the range maintnance.

 

Gary,

I too do not like the idea that agencies charge for services since, as NASAR pointed out, people may delay calling for help if an emergency arises and that can result in a tragic outcome for the callers and (selfishly) potentially expose the rescuers to more risk.

In the case of the dive team I referenced in my earlier post, they do not receive tax dollars and the donations do not cover the operational expenses. So billing for services is their answer. I am also going to guess that the insurance companies are the only ones who pay these fees.

Another question arises though ... are these guys "commercial" because they charge for their services or are they public safety? <GRIN, I know that will open the proverbial flood gate>

I posted earlier because I receive more calls from dive teams that are on a chopping block and they are loosing operational funds because of depressed tax revenues. What options do they have???

As you know well, it takes (some) money to operate a dive team. Today I reviewed the budget for another volunteer dive team in Arkansas and with workers' compensation ($700), insurance ($1,950), fuel/oil ($500), etc, there are costs that need to be covered and the idea of having these volunteers "pony up" to cover these costs is not going to happen.

Using the example above, the team needs $3,200 minimum to operate in a legal manner. (Other state laws/costs may be different)

If a small dedicated team has 6 call outs a year and 6 training sessions, and no tax dollars and a couple hundred bucks in donations, where does the balance come from? For the Riggins Dive Team, their town council has approved a manner for the team to recover a fee for their services.

I will be the first to say, I DON'T LIKE IT.

The fact of the matter though is what I dislike the most is that this team does not have the proper funds or support from their community (neither tax dollars nor donations). These team members feel a compassion to provide the service and I understand the need for adapting.

It IS a different world and it IS a different time.

I don't have a perfect answer either. I can only wish the team members the best and hope they can continue to meet their goals in a safe manner and one which is beneficial for the team, the team members and the citizens they serve.

 

ehh... competing with local businesses would be an issue but the operation wouldnt have rental gear really or be a dive shop so it would still be dependant on LDS and charters possibly. people still have to get gear and classes could run on like a 2 month sched so it is here and there to still allow LDS convenience edge of the market.