River’s Edge Will Not Overtax Police and Fire Services
One concern that has been voiced about the multi-family development at River’s Edge is that the City of Coeur d’Alene does not have sufficient police and fire department resources to serve River’s Edge. It is always important to take police and fire department preparedness issues seriously. The developers of River’s Edge are pleased to say that both police and fire services have acknowledged that River’s Edge will not present any problems for them in terms of impacting their ability to respond to emergency calls in Coeur d’Alene in a timely manner.
Coeur d’Alene Police and Fire Departments Have the Resources to Serve River’s Edge
Coeur d’Alene is in the process of expanding the police department, both in terms of physical space as well as hiring more police officers. This is a result of the general increase in population that the area has seen in the last several years. According to the census, the population of the City of Coeur d’Alene has grown by about 10,000 in the last decade, which is a 25% jump, and the larger metropolitan area has grown by about 30,000 in that same period.
The good news is that Coeur d’Alene is a very safe city. If you look at crime statistics during that same period, you see that the number of crimes in the area has not gone up. This is due both to the competence and hard work of our police forces, as well as a general cultural attitude of the population, that has been unwavering in its support of law and order and law enforcement..
Similarly, Coeur d’Alene’s fire department is second to none. It operates out of four fire stations located throughout the city. As stated on their website, the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department is a class three rated city, which is the highest fire defense rating possible. The department is not only responsible for responding to fire calls, but also EMT calls, which are handled by three of the fire stations in Coeur d’Alene. The fire department has expressed that it does not anticipate any problems in responding to emergencies at River’s Edge.
River’s Edge Will Be Safe and Secure
It should also be remembered that police and fire are not the only safeguards against crime, fire, and other emergencies. River’s Edge takes its responsibility to provide a safe place for residents to live very seriously and will do everything it can to minimize the likelihood of needing to utilize emergency services for security and safety concerns that it can control.
The facility will be protected by fences so that it is not easy for any trouble-makers to access the site, and the three road entrances mean that access to the facility is limited. The buildings and parking areas will be secure and well-lit, and the design of the area allows residents good visibility to observe any activities that are not welcome. In addition, River’s Edge employees will be on-site much of the time, able to monitor any suspicious activity.
The buildings themselves will be built with fire safety in mind, with all of the latest fire-rated equipment installed and ready to hand, including smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, sprinkler systems, extinguishers, hoses, and hydrant access. The building materials, such as the roofing, are also fire–rated, and it will have all the necessary fire doors and other precautions installed according to fire code.
While medical emergencies will always require an EMT response, the River’s Edge complex is also close to town and close to Kootenai Health, within easy travel distance for emergency services. It will be relatively easy for fire, EMTs, and police to respond to this one location, yet be able to serve hundreds of residents.
River’s Edge welcomes these questions and concerns and is doing its utmost to make sure that the concerns of the community are accounted for in every aspect of planning and constructing this new housing facility. If you would like more information about River’s Edge and the changes it is proposing to the City of Coeur d’Alene, please review the information on this website. If you are in favor of our proposed changes, we invite you to let the Coeur d’Alene City Council know about your support of the project.