The Eureka Fire Protection District closed its Station 3 in Hoene Springs on January 1, eliminating three firefighter/paramedic positions after voters rejected a proposed tax increase twice last year. The restructuring is now fully in effect.

The closure leaves the 64-square-mile district operating from two stations instead of three. Residents in the Hoene Springs area and rural portions of Wildwood now rely on mutual aid from the High Ridge, Cedar Hill, and Big River Ambulance districts for nearby coverage.

"You hate to see a closure of a firehouse. You hate to see a reduction in staff, but we didn't have a lot of options after the proposition didn't pass," Fire Chief Scott Barthelmass told Spectrum News.

Why it happened

Proposition F, a 34-cents-per-$100 tax increase, failed narrowly on April 8, 2025, then lost decisively on August 5 with nearly 60% of voters opposed. The measure would have been the district's third general revenue increase since 1971.

The fire board voted unanimously on October 27, 2025, to close the station. Barthelmass said the district spent more than two months after the August defeat analyzing budgets and researching alternatives before making the call.

What changed

Station 3, at 3570 White Oak School Road, handled less than 4% of the district's total calls. Over four years, it responded to 1,224 calls compared to 7,396 at Station 1 and 6,261 at Station 2. Of Station 3's calls, 528 were mutual aid runs outside the district.

The three eliminated positions are being handled through attrition, not layoffs. Each shift now has eight personnel at Station 1 on Highway 109 and five at Station 2 near Six Flags St. Louis. The district also dropped from five administrative chief officers to three after Deputy Chief William Stamberger and Battalion Chief Brian Callahan retired in early 2026.

Station 3's ladder truck moved to Station 2, near the district's main commercial corridor. The tanker moved to Station 1, where it can still reach areas off Route FF, Allenton, and Lewis Road that have limited or no fire hydrants.

What's ahead

The district is not planning another ballot measure. Barthelmass said there are no plans for at least 10 years to open a new station off Lewis Road.

The district's tax rate dropped from $1.20 to $1.13 per $100 of assessed valuation. But rising property values mean the district still expects about $175,000 more in revenue this year.

New revenue will also come from billing insurance providers for medical calls where patients aren't transported. The district is selling surplus vehicles including a reserve ladder truck and a Chevrolet Tahoe.

The district retains ownership of the Station 3 building. If flooding isolates the Hoene Springs area, equipment and personnel will be moved there temporarily to maintain coverage.