Spokane County Fire District 10 asks for for EMS tax renewal

Spokane County Fire District 10 is asking voters to approve the renewal of an emergency medical services levy on the Aug. 4 ballot.

The 10-year levy has been repeatedly approved by voters with strong support since 1994, said Fire Chief Ken Johnson. The first levy was for six years.

“They did it so they could start putting medical equipment on the trucks,” he said of the first levy in 1994. “With that they were able to add additional staffing.”

The mostly rural fire district sprawls across 85 square miles in the West Plains area. The EMS levy provides 15% of the district’s annual budget. In addition to paying for medical supplies, it also pays for dispatch services, a medical director, two firefighters and one chief officer. It also allows between 10 and 15 volunteer firefighters a year to complete emergency medical technician training.

“It’s a critical component to our service,” Johnson said. “Seventy-seven percent of our calls in the district are medical related. Fifteen percent of our budget is funding 77% of our mission.”

All firefighters who work and volunteer in the district are EMTs. As of right now the district does not have any paramedics on staff and relies on ambulance crews to provide advanced life support services when needed, Johnson said.

Money raised by the levy only can be used for personnel, training, supplies, facilities and equipment related to emergency medical services.

The levy needs to top 50% approval to pass. Johnson said he’s hopeful the levy will enjoy the same strong community support it has in previous years. “Generally, our community in the past has supported our levies with well over the supermajority,” he said.

Johnson said he recognizes a lot of people are having difficulty financially during the pandemic.

“Times are different right now,” he said.

But the pandemic also is putting a financial squeeze on the district as they deal with an increasing need for personal protective equipment. There has been some talk of fire districts getting additional money for PPE from the state or federal government, but nothing has materialized, Johnson said.

“We are running into COVID patients,” he said. “Whether we’re going to get reimbursed or not is anybody’s guess.”

The levy would assess a tax of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed home value, which equates to $75 a year for a home valued at $150,00. It pays to maintain services the district already provides and is the renewal of an existing levy, not a new tax.

“It’s not going to change what they’re paying now,” he said.

While Johnson is hopeful that the levy will pass, he’s also making plans about what to do if the levy fails.

“I’m pretty confident that it will pass, but I also have to be realistic and plan for if it doesn’t pass,” he said.

The most obvious answer to the loss of 15% of the district’s budget is to cut staff, which would have an impact on the services the district provides.

“That’s a huge impact,” he said. “We would have to reevaluate our operations. Obviously, the quickest way to make up that deficit to cut staffing, which would impact response times.”