(WSBT) They've put out fires and saved lives for years. But an area fire department says it now needs help.

The Porter Township Fire Department in Union, Mich. says it's in desperate need of new equipment — and not just hoses and oxygen masks but fire trucks and ambulances. It's asking the people they work for — taxpayers — to foot the bill.

A millage was voted down last August. So they've proposed another one that will be voted on Tuesday.

The fire department held a public meeting Saturday to explain the need for a millage, but few people came. Now, people associated with the department are concerned they'll lose again. Firefighters say the people they serve would lose the most.

The Porter Twp. Fire Department responds to fire and EMS emergencies for its township and Mason Township. Over the last year, it's responded to everything from a pipeline explosion to medical emergencies.

"We've had two full cardiac arrests in the last two months that we've brought back with our CPR and with our AED," said Chief Mike Holdeman. "Those two individuals wouldn't have survived if we weren't here."

Residents, like Robert Carr, have relied on the fire department numerous times. He says his wife had a stroke and EMS arrived in four minutes.

"They do need the service," he said. "There's no two ways about that."

But to keep responding, the department needs more money. It has an operating budget of $290,000, but it spends $379,096. That's almost $80,000 over budget and doesn't include payroll and training expenses. The limited funding leaves no money to replace aging equipment.

"I'm always concerned that they can get themselves in a situation that maybe they can't get themselves out of," said Chief Holdeman.

If your house is on fire, a fire tanker is the first thing you want to see. But Porter Township's main tanker leaks 3,000 gallons of water each day. It needed to get replaced back in 2000.

"We're going to have to start scaling back service immediately," said Chief Holdeman. "We've got some equipment that shouldn't be on the road."

Most of the trucks and equipment need to be replaced but it would cost $912,000. The department only has $26,000 in its equipment fund. That's not even enough to cover a new Jaws of Life. That's why the department proposed a millage that would increase most people's property taxes by $100.

"I've been paying whatever my property taxes are, and they don't do a bloody thing for us," said Carr. "This is at least something that we know we're going to get something out of."

People living in Porter and Mason Townships can vote on the millage Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If it doesn't pass, the townships can require people to pay an additional tax through a special assessment.

Without the department, officials say home insurance in the two townships would increase by more than $100 a year. Chief Holdeman says, if the Porter Twp. Fire Department could no longer provide service, other departments would be notified in the event of an emergency, but they're under no obligation to respond.