North County’s EMS levy passes
By JEREMIAH O’HAGAN Staff Reporter
North County Regional Fire Authority’s EMS levy found favor with 72.53 percent of area voters, and will be renewed for six additional years.
The levy funds training, salaries and benefits for the paramedics and firefighters who provide advanced life support (ALS) services 24 hours a day. Some of the money also purchases and maintains cardiac and respiratory support equipment.
North County received 2,071 calls in 2009, and 65 percent of those calls were for EMS.
Chief Dale Fulfs said EMS is the most requested service they offer, and he’s happy to be able to continue providing it.
“We put a lot of information out there and did a lot of doorbelling,” Fulfs said. “I think it paid off. We had the highest voter turnout in Snohomish County.”
Fulfs credited success to the efforts of the firefighters, volunteers and commissioners who raised public awareness.
The levy, which was set to expire at the end of the year, is capped at $.50 per $1,000 of assessed value — $12.50 per month for a $300,000 home.
Staff Reporter Jeremiah
O’Hagan: 629-8066 ext.
125 or ohagan@scnews.
com.
