SNOHOMISH – It’s a vote about minutes. Minutes that could save lives. Five to seven minutes.
That’s the extra time it takes for a paramedic to reach Snohomish from Monroe, Clearview or Lake Stevens. It may be the difference between life and death for someone having a heart attack, stroke or other catastrophic medical emergency, officials say.
Until January, Snohomish County Fire District 4, which serves the city of Snohomish and surrounding areas, had money to pay for paramedics.
A person having a heart attack used to be able to expect help in about six minutes, records show. Since paramedic services were suspended because of a lack of money, they now might have to wait up to 14 minutes, said Fire Chief Mark Collins.
Voters will decide how long they want to wait – and if they are willing to raise taxes. An emergency medical services levy is on an all-mail-in ballot due Tuesday.
“Just a few minutes can make quite a bit of difference, particularly when we’re talking about a stroke or heart attack,” said Dr. Ward Hinds, a Snohomish-area resident and retired executive officer of the Snohomish Health District. “Having the most rapid response possible is what we’re trying to achieve here.”
Supporters of the $1.2 million EMS levy say local paramedic service is an important insurance policy.
“Any of us are susceptible to the kind of illness where paramedic services could be life saving,” said Dr. Loren Ihle, a levy campaign chair and doctor at The Everett Clinic in downtown Snohomish. “None of us want or plan on needing that, but it’s likely that many of us will.”
But services cost money, and “Of course there’s always some concern about taxes,” Hinds added.
Rising costs of providing fire services forced Snohomish fire officials to scale back the paramedic service they had provided locally since 2003, Collins said.
Five times since 2001, voters have turned down EMS levies. The last time, in 2005, less than 40 percent of voters supported the levy.
Collins blames poor communication and internal conflict within the department’s ranks. Previous levies also competed for attention during busy elections. No organized opposition to the levy has surfaced this year.
If approved this time, property owners could expect to see their taxes raised by about $140 a year for a home assessed at $400,000.
Paramedics administer medicines and provide advanced life-saving support. It’s a level of emergency service that’s become a community standard around the county, said Mark Judy, CEO of Valley General Hospital in Monroe.
“Professionally, it really bothered me that Snohomish proper would be a donut hole in the middle of fire districts all around that all have paramedic-level services,” Judy said.
Paramedics receive about 10 times the training provided emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, Collins said.
An EMT is trained to stabilize a patient, while a paramedic can start advanced care, he said.
For example, if someone’s choking on a hot dog, an EMT could give the person the Heimlich maneuver, he said. A paramedic is allowed to useforceps to remove the food.
For a heart attack victim, EMTs could give someone CPR, while paramedics are trained to run echocardiograms, start medications and use defibrillators, Collins said.
The levy would pay for paramedics and EMTs, he said.
In 2006, with a paramedic stationed in downtown Snohomish, emergency responders got to patients in six minutes, on average, documents show.
That’s well below the national standard of eight minutes, Collins said.
Since January, it has taken up to 16 minutes for the best emergency medical care to reach people in Snohomish, Collins said.
Privacy laws prohibit officials from sharing whether the delays have meant death or irreparable harm.
Ultimately, people such as Dr. Ihle say, the decision comes down to what neighbors want for the area.
“Either you provide as a community or none of us have it,” he said.
A $1.2 million emergency medical services levy is before voters in Snohomish County Fire District 4. If approved, the levy will restore paramedic services to the area. In January, paramedic services were canceled because of lack of money.
WHATS AT STAKE? Without local paramedic service, people having a heart attack, stroke or other medical emergency may have to wait twice as long, about 14 minutes, for help to arrive. If the levy fails, neighboring communities are under no obligation to send help.
HOW MUCH? Approving the levy would add about $140 a year in taxes to a home valued at $400,000.
PARAMEDIC vs. EMT: Paramedics receive about 10 times the training provided to emergency medical technicians. Paramedics can give patients medicine, open airways using tubes and instruments, and provide advanced care. EMTs are trained to stabilize patients using basic CPR and first aid.
WHEN TO VOTE? Voters have until Tuesday to return their mail-in ballots.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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