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On February 9, voters of Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 2 approved a permanent property tax levy for emergency medical services (EMS). 

The levy will take effect on January 1, 2017.  It will replace the current EMS levy which expires on December 31, 2016.  Both levy rates are 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, meaning a house valued at $200,000 pays $50 a year in property taxes. 

The EMS levy supports the operation of Upper Kittitas County Medic One ambulance services, including staff, ambulances, supplies, and facilities in upper Kittitas County.  User fees pay for less than half of the cost to operate the ambulance service.  The rest is covered by the EMS levy.

Voters had approved levy funding for the past 18 years, in six year cycles.  The permanent nature of the new levy will remove funding uncertainty and provide stability in operations.  The hospital district will now have the permanent capability to levy property taxes of up to 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation during their annual budgeting process. 

“I believe it is good business to eliminate the cost of running a levy every six years when it has been shown that the levy is necessary to maintain the operations of Medic One in the upper county,” said Floyd Rogalski, President of the Board of Commissioners for Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 2.  “With this vote, residents have shown their support for the continued availability of the Medic One program.”

Upper Kittitas County Medic One operates one full-time ambulance staffed 24 hours a day and a second ambulance which is staffed 12 hours a day.  Both are staffed with a paramedic and an emergency medical technician (EMT).

2016 EMS Levy Informational Mailer

National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week will be celebrated this year from May 18 through May 24.  This marks the fortieth annual celebration of local Emergency Medical Services employees and volunteers.  The theme for the week, chosen by the American College of Emergency Physicians, is “Dedicated. For Life.”

Emergency Medical Services staff include first responders, emergency medical technicians or paramedics, with a progressively increasing level of training and experience required at each level.  

Most EMS staff in Kittitas County are unpaid first responders or emergency medical technicians who volunteer for Basic Life Support organizations.  However, one Advanced Life Support organization is available for 24/7 response in Upper Kittitas County, Upper Kittitas County Medic One. Advanced Life Support organizations always have at least one paramedic ready to respond to life-threatening emergencies.  Paramedics have the highest level of training among emergency responders and are able to perform advanced tasks like intubating a patient to open an airway.

Upper Kittitas County Medic One, which provides Advance Life Support ambulance service to Upper Kittitas County, has 20 career professionals who respond to emergency medical calls.  Their staff roster includes eight paramedics and 12 emergency medical technicians.  These 20 individuals respond from two stations in Upper Kittitas County using two primary ambulances, with one reserve ambulance.

The response provided by emergency medical services is critical to the survival of patients who experience a medical emergency.  Please join us in using National EMS Week as an opportunity to thank the volunteer and career first responders of Kittitas County.