EVERETT — Emergency calls are rising, response times are slowing and Snohomish County Fire District No. 4 is still operating under staffing numbers set in 2009.
Now, fire officials are asking voters to approve an emergency medical services levy increase in the Aug. 5 primary election to help close the gap.
First responders, with advanced life-saving training, provide critical pre-hospital care and transportation for those experiencing medical emergencies. The measure would restore the EMS levy to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, up from the current 36 cents, to fund two additional firefighter/paramedics per shift and improve response times. The levy was originally approved by voters in 2019 at 50 cents per $1,000 but has since fallen due to statutory limits on revenue growth.
Since 2009, the district has operated with 10 firefighters each shift at any given time. Starting Aug. 1, that number will increase to 12, adding a fourth unit to respond to medical emergencies. Without the levy’s approval, staffing would likely remain at 10 firefighters per shift for the foreseeable future, according to Fire Chief Don Waller. Officials hope the levy will help them gradually increase staffing to 13-15 firefighters per day by 2031.
“We want to be up front with our community,” Waller said in a press release. “EMS is our most widely used emergency service. We require more first responders and resources to meet the growing needs of the community and continue providing high-quality emergency medical care.”
The district responds to approximately 4,300 calls each year, with more than 80% being EMS-related. However, funding has not kept pace with increasing call volumes and rising costs. Inflation has driven up costs, with the price of an ambulance nearly doubling from $200,000 to $400,000 in the past six years, while annual medical supply costs have risen from $61,000 to $124,000, Waller said.
If approved, the levy lift would generate an estimated $1.4 million in additional revenue for 2025, totaling about $8.5 million over six years. The funding would allow the district to hire two additional firefighter/paramedics per shift and add an Advanced Life Support response unit, which provides pre-hospital care. The levy would also help fund EMS supplies, billing, training costs and more.
“Right now, we have a lot of overlapping calls,” Waller said. “When we have our units busy, we have to rely on units from either farther away or, oftentimes, another fire district.”
Response times have been increasing since 2018, in part due to higher call volumes. The additional staffing and resources would help alleviate delays and improve coverage.
“This is really about keeping up with demand and making sure our community gets the emergency medical services it needs,” Waller said in the release. “People depend on us in critical situations, and we need the funding to maintain that level of care.”
The proposed levy would cost property owners about $70 per year, or just under $6 per month, for every $500,000 of assessed property value, Waller said. Homeowners who meet certain income eligibility requirements may qualify for tax relief programs.
Snohomish County Fire District No. 4 is not alone in seeking EMS funding. Similar measures have been pursued by other districts in the region to address growing emergency response needs.
The Camano Island Fire and Rescue Board of Fire Commissioners also plans to place an EMS levy renewal on the Aug. 5 ballot. Like Snohomish County Fire District No. 4, the Camano Island fire district has seen emergency call volumes rise, with EMS now making up 68% of all responses. The proposed levy would restore its EMS rate from 37 cents back to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Because this is a levy lid lift rather than a new levy, it does not require validation. The means passage depends solely on a simple majority—50% plus one—of those who vote on the measure.
Voters will decide the fate of the EMS levy during the August primary election. If rejected, Waller said, the district would have no choice but to maintain its current staffing levels despite increasing demand on emergency services.
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the approval percentage required for the levy. It needs 50% plus one for approval, not 60%. It also incorrectly stated that the levy required validation. Because this is a levy lid lift, not a new levy, a minimum voter turnout threshold is not required. Incorrect information was provided during the proposal meeting.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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