Herald Writer
SNOHOMISH — Voters in Snohomish and the surrounding fire district area face the choice of whether or not to have an advance life support emergency medical response team in Fire District 4.
The ballot question asks voters to approve paying 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation to equip and fund the emergency response system. That would be $60 a year for a house assessed at $200,000 for tax purposes.
Fire District 4 currently contracts for the advanced life support paramedics in other neighboring fire districts. But fire chief Bob Merritt said having its own service in District 4 will shorten response times and possibly save lives.
It could drop response times from 10 minutes to between four and six minutes — a difference that in cases of heart attacks can mean saving a life, he said.
For the service to come into being, a majority of voters in the city of Snohomish and in the outlying fire district have to pass the tax levy issue.
The money gathered would be used to purchase needed equipment and train personnel. Some fire stations would have to be remodeled. Merritt said he expects it would take several months to get the system up and running.
The levy is for one year and will have to be renewed at between 25 and 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, depending on the actual costs of operation in the first year. That will be done in a mail-in ballot later in 2002.
To date, there has not been a formal campaign against the measure. It was approved to be placed on the ballot by both the board of the fire district and the city council.
You can call Herald Writer Leslie Moriarty at 425-339-3436
or send e-mail to moriarty@heraldnet.com.
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