The commitment of the Orland First Responders candidates is to ensure that the entire focus of the Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) is on saving lives, putting out fires and responding to emergencies.

We believe that our candidates, Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr., offer the OFPD the most experience and the most extensive training as First Responders of all of the candidates running in the April 4, 2023 election. Their experience makes them the best qualified to protect the interests of the district’s residents and families.

The OFPD Board of Trustees needs the leadership and experience to ensure that its achievements continue to excel not only locally but nationally.

With the right leadership the OFPD is an example of how good government should be in terms of holding the line on taxes and fees while providing the highest quality of services and care to their residents. 

Do you really want to jeopardize the proven life-saving professionalism of the Orland Fire Protection District by putting it in the hands of politicians and activists?

Rafferty is a 30-year veteran Police Officer and First Responder. William Bonnar Jr is a 39-year experienced First Responder who comes from a family that has dedicated its life to making the OFPD the best in the country.

With 6 Fire Houses & the best trained FireFighters in the country, OFPD can respond to any emergency, home or business fire in minutes. That increases the ability to rescue residents in need and quickly extinguish the fire threat. Don’t let politics get in the way of saving lives.

Don’t jeopardize your safety or the safety of your family and others by placing the OFPD in the hands of less experienced candidates whoa re being run by politicians. No one understands better the safety needs of the District more than experienced First Responders.

Protect our community by voting for First Responders who have proven skills to protect the Orland Fire Protection District.

There is a lot to protect in this election.

 

OVERVIEW OF THE ORLAND FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

With strong leadership that must continue, the OFPD has reduced the tax burden on its residents while service calls have skyrocketed. There has not been one tax increase or tax levy hike since 2010 under the leadership of the current administration.

Unlike other governments, the Fire District is nearly 100% dependent on property taxes. The OFPD receive ZERO sales tax revenue, which means we take management of our tax revenues seriously.

What are the services that you receive? The primary responsibility of the Fire District is to put out fires and save lives. OFPD Officials are dedicated to increasing public awareness of the best practices to prevent fires.

 

HIGHEST SAVE RATE

OFPD has been recognized for having the highest Cardiac Arrest “Save Rate” of any district in the country. The OFPD Save Rate is 71 percent (rose from 65 percent in January 2023) compared to a national average of 15 percent.

What that means is that when you have a heart attack, you have a nearly five times better chance of survival in the Orland Fire Protection District than in any other region.

Why is that “Save Rate” so high in the Orland Fire Protection District but not in most other districts? For one, the Fire District Board of Trustees and staff put great emphasis on providing the highest quality training to our fire fighters and paramedics. They are literally the best trained and best equipped in the country.

OFPD is a leader in emergency response. Eight municipalities rely on the OFPD to manage the Dispatch for their Emergency response calls.

OFPD operates one of the premier, if not the best, Dispatch Centers in the State of Illinois and the Midwest. Our Dispatch Team has been recognized for providing the highest possible service with many industry awards.

Our Dispatch Team serves eight municipalities in the area. Having the Dispatch Team in our District headquarters is a significant benefit to our stakeholders, and it enhances our response time to those in need of our services.

OFPD has been recognized for its professionalism and exemplary budget management practices. Cook County officials in June announced property tax collections would be more than six months late, meaning many local governments will have to borrow money to maintain operations and thereby increase taxes, cut and reduce their services to the public, or lay-off and reduce staffing.

The Fire District is one of the few exceptions because of our superior, professional money management. Because the financial management of the Fire District is healthy and strong, your Fire District is able to maintain our current high level of services WITHOUT borrowing, raising taxes, or cutting back on services or staff. We will have the same level of firefighters and paramedics to ensure your public safety.

For the past 10 years, the OFPD has been recognized nationally for its distinguished financial management.  Each year, the auditors praise the manner in which your tax dollars are accounted for and for its transparency in spending your tax dollars.