WASHINGTON— Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of Community Project Funding and its role in providing critical support for Idaho’s Second Congressional District. One such priority is constructing a new fire station for the Shelley-Firth Fire District in Firth, Idaho.  

Fighting for Firth’s Firefighters 
By Rep. Mike Simpson  

The full op-ed is available below.    

As we work to address the very real problem of irresponsible government spending, it can be easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater and mischaracterize all federal spending as wasteful and irresponsible.  In reality, however, member-directed projects funded through Community Project Funding (CPF) give Idahoans a critical voice in determining where budgeted funding goes.  Rather than spending more money, this program allows me to advocate for important Idaho priorities within existing budget limits.  I am fighting for Idaho communities by bringing Idaho tax dollars back home to meet critical needs, including the need for a new fire station in Firth, Idaho.  

The City of Firth suffered a devastating fire last year that destroyed the fire station.  The Firth fire station is one of two stations in the Shelley-Firth Fire District that serves approximately 8,000 residents in a rural area of over 400 square miles.  While other fire stations throughout Idaho generously donated the equipment the Shelley-Firth Fire District needed to become functional again in the short term, their ability to serve the area in the long run remains crippled without an adequate fire station in Firth.  The current temporary building is inadequate and not intended for use as a fire station, making it difficult for the fire district to carry out mandated emergency services. 

This situation has created a crisis for these communities that will only get worse as time goes on.  Most of the residents in this area live outside of city limits, and many are lower income.  Insurance only covered a small portion of the cost of rebuilding the station, and these communities cannot afford the increased taxes needed to fully fund a new fire station, nor can they afford higher insurance costs that would come with a determination that the city cannot meet its community safety mandates without a fully functional fire station. 

Given these challenges, I am pleased that I was able to secure funding through the CPF program to assist the Shelley-Firth Fire District in rebuilding the Firth fire station and ensure that they have the critical infrastructure necessary to protect the Idahoans who live in this area.  In addition to applying for CPF funding through my office, the fire district is applying for grants from the State of Idaho and other federal agencies.  Together with local contributions, this funding will be used to replace the severely damaged 30-year-old building with a new fire station that will meet the needs of this growing area for years to come.  This project is broadly supported by the local communities as well as the State of Idaho, and it meets the rigorous standards for transparency and accountability that all CPFs must meet.   

This project is one way that I am working to meet critical needs in Idaho within a responsible federal budget.  I will always fight to bring Idaho tax dollars back home for Idaho priorities rather than sending that money to fund projects in other states.  This important project will ensure the continued safety of the Idahoans who live in the Shelley-Firth Fire District, and I believe this is an impactful Idaho project worth fighting for.  If you’d like to learn more about this or other CPF projects, please visit my website, where you can find all the information.