It’s no mystery that Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians have been very busy the last two years. We were the first fire agency to treat COVID-19 patients in Clark County, and that’s a small percentage of overall medical calls to which we respond. Out of the 8,353 calls that we responded to in 2021, a whopping 87% were emergency medical calls.

The growth rate for Clark County has increased about 19% since 2010. To provide some perspective of that growth, in 2017 we responded to 7114 emergency calls, versus 8,353 last year. We expect that number to grow in 2022 and beyond.

this is not a new levy.

Daily operations at Fire District 6 are funded through two levies paid through property taxes. The amounts are capped at the voter-approved rates of $1.50 for Fire and $0.50 cents for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) per $1,000 of assessed property value. Over time these levy rates fall as property values rise to limit the Fire District to the same amount of revenue per year, plus a one percent increase allowed by law. Our EMS Levy levels have dropped to $0.34 per $1,000 of assessed value. We are asking to restore it to the original amount of $0.45 per $1,000 of assessed value. Basically we’re asking to restore $0.11 cents to the current levy amount. On a $400,000 home the total cost would be $15 a month for 24/7 medical care.

Our EMS levy will expire if not renewed by voters.

Voters last renewed funding for our EMS program in 2016, and that EMS levy will expire at the end of the year if not renewed. The rate we’re asking for now is the same one voters approved six years ago. This levy funds all of our emergency medical services.  Our Board of Commissioners are planning on asking voters to renew the EMS levy on the August 2nd, 2022 Primary Election ballot.

How would the money be spent?

The EMS levy helps us continue to provide Basic Life Support with Firefighter/EMTs and Advanced Life Support with Paramedics. We serve about 70,000 people in Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Lake Shore, Felida, Mt. Vista and Fairgrounds neighborhoods.  Funds are used for emergency personnel, training and certifications, maintenance, medical equipment, first aid supplies, personal protection equipment (especially for COVID-19), and equipment replacement. 

Didn’t you just ask for aN EMS levy?

This can be confusing because several fire districts and departments in Clark County have recently requested levy funds this year. For instance, Vancouver Fire just passed a Fire Levy Lid Lift, Clark County Fire District 5 will have a Fire Levy Lid Lift on the August ballot, and Clark Cowlitz Fire Rescue will have a new EMS Levy on the August ballot.  Only citizens of Clark County Fire District 6 will be voting on our EMS Levy renewal.  This will maintain your excellent current level of service, which we are dedicated to providing.