Renewing EMS levy will keep current services

Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17 (the Granite Falls Fire Department) is asking voters to renew the emergency medical services levy in the primary election. Passing a levy is difficult, and we respect that.

EMS levies require a 60 percent super-majority to pass. In addition, 40 percent of the ballots cast in last November’s election must be returned to meet validation requirements. This means that 2,074 ballots from voters in District 17 must be mailed back by Election Day. The most important thing you can do right now to continue emergency medical care is mail in your ballot by Aug. 18.

The EMS levy is not a new tax. Our current EMS levy will expire at the end of this year. A “yes” vote simply continues the EMS care that you already have for another six years. The rate for the EMS levy can be no more than 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This would mean the owner of a $250,000 home would pay a maximum of $10.42 per month to continue receiving the current level of emergency medical care.

Renewing the EMS levy also means that the fire district can continue to staff the fire station at the current level. The fire department currently provides on-duty staffing that allows us to respond to two EMS alarms at the same time. In 2008, 188 alarms, or 13 percent of all emergency calls that came into the fire station, happened while another emergency was taking place.

Since 1993, residents and businesses in the fire district have had the current level of EMS care, which includes advance life support paramedics. The EMS levy pays for our paramedic contract with Lake Stevens Fire and the on-duty firefighter/EMTs. It also pays for medical supplies, training, and our First Aid/CPR program for the public.

For more information about the levy, please visit the Fire District’s web site at www.granitefallsfire.org. We thank you for your past support.

Chief Rick Hjelle

Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17