County EMS Seeks Support

WALLA WALLA COUNTY -Walla Walla County Emergency Management Service is asking county residents to approve a $0.50-per-$1,000 levy measure on upcom­ing ballots. The levy is a continuation of an existing levy and provides funding to every Emergency Service provider in Walla Walla County.

The current levy has been in effect since 1990 and has been renewed every six years since. "We've always been supported really well. I'm hoping that will hold true this time as well," said Walla Walla County EMS Di­rector Patricia Courson. Since the service is not asking for an increase or anything new, a 50% yes vote is needed for approval. A supermajority is not required.

Courson said the levy amount is remain­ing at "status quo" in spite of rising emer­gency service costs. According to EMS literature, an ambulance that cost $139,000 in 1995 would cost approximately $200,000 to replace today. A heart defibrillator/cardiac monitor that costs over $25,000 today sold for only $8,200 in 1996.

Walla Walla County EMS serves the Walla Walla Fire Department, College Place Fire Department, Clyde, Waitsburg, Eureka, Burbank, Touchet, Prescott, Dixie and areas surrounding Walla Walla. The service covers 1,200 square miles and is the only transport­ing service in the majority of the county.

The county - outside the city limits of Walla Walla -- works on a two-tier system in which a Paramedic-staffed ambulance from the City of Walla Walla Fire Department is dispatched simultaneously with the nearest EMTs. The volunteers typically arrive first and provide care until the ambulance arrives to provide transport to a medical facility. Only Burbank and Waitsburg have their own ambulance services.

Funds are distributed by using a formula that fac­tors in population, assessed valuation for the fire district or municipality, and the number of runs. According to Courson, the Waitsburg Ambulance Service re­ceived $45,238 in 2013. "The levy has a huge im­pact on smaller communi­ties," said Courson. "They really depend on levy funds to make their services pos­sible."

Citizens using the EMS service are billed for calls, but that only covers a small part of expenses. Accord­ing to Courson, Medicare pays only 40 to 50 cents on the dollar per billing, and Medicaid pays only 15 cents on the dollar. Waits­burg provides a unique subscription service which provides families with ser­vice for only $35/year.

With such a large area to cover, Courson expressed concern that the City not lose any personnel due to lack of funding. In addi­tion to staffing, EMS funds provide for the purchase of necessary equipment such as ambulances, defibril­lators and other medical supplies. They also sup­port continuing education of personnel and improve the response capabilities of volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians and Responders.