Washougal voters face ‘instrumental’ EMS levy decision

Voters will soon determine the future of Washougal’s emergency medical services.

The city of Washougal has placed Proposition 11, a replacement emergency medical services (EMS) levy, on the ballot for general election on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The proposition is “aimed at guaranteeing the ongoing provision of healthcare services in emergency scenarios for our residents,” according to the City.

“If you want ambulance service, all we’re saying is that it’s not going to cost you more (money),” Washougal Mayor David Stuebe told The Post-Record. “If you call 911 and need an ambulance to come to your house, you need this (levy to be passed). It’s not like we’re going out for a bond or asking for more money. This is just a renewal of our contract, at least as far as I understand it. This is a no-brainer.”

If voters approve the proposition, the Washougal City Council will assess a levy for collection in 2024 that will result in an EMS levy rate of no more $.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For 2024 to 2029, the EMS levy could increase by a maximum of 1% per year but is projected to decrease slightly due to increases in assessed value in the City, according to the City’s data.

If the levy fails, the City will need to shift funds from other services, including police, parks, streets and other public services, to maintain current EMS service levels.

“The EMS levy is instrumental in maintaining Washougal’s emergency medical services,” the City stated in a news release. “The levy is a dedicated source of funding used for the provision of emergency medical services in Washougal. Emergency medical services are a fundamental component of a community’s infrastructure. Washougal voters have repeatedly approved an EMS levy over the decades.”

The proposition will establish funding for lifesaving services, ensure the retention of adequately trained medical personnel, and maintain the existing levels of efficiency in emergency response times, according to the City.

“Without this levy, there will be no guarantee that an ambulance will be readily available when you call 911,” according to a statement, written by Kevin Bergstrom, Rod Morris and Ernie Suggs, in the Clark County voters’ guide. “Your ‘yes’ vote will simply maintain the established service within Washougal. … The levy provides funding for dual-function paramedic/firefighters and local low-cost ambulance transport service as compared to private companies. Funds generated will allow for a paramedic ambulance to remain stationed in the city of Washougal. Rapid response of a local ambulance based within the community improves patient outcomes and keeps our community safe.”

All Camas-Washougal Fire Department (CWFD) firefighters are required to have an EMS certification at either the emergency medical technician or paramedic levels because fire engines respond to EMS calls along with an ambulance, according to CWFD EMS chief Shaun Ford.

“That part of the EMS system would be unaffected,” Ford told The Post-Record earlier this year. “The primary reason for the EMS levy in each city and for East County Fire and Rescue is for the provision of the ambulance service. If the Washougal levy were to fail and the City could not find another source of similar funds, (the failure) would greatly impact the ambulance service.”

Washougal usually experiences a higher volume of emergency medical calls than Camas, Washougal City Manager David Scott said earlier this year. In the first half of 2023, the CWFD received 45% of its calls from Washougal and 42% from Camas, with the remaining 13% being handled by ECFR, according to Ford.

Washougal has experienced an 11% increase in EMS apparatus responses to Washougal EMS calls between 2018 and 2022, according to the City.

“Also, the ambulance in Washougal covers about 75 percent of the calls that originate within the city of Washougal, and the other 25 percent is covered by an ambulance out of a station located in Camas,” Ford said. “We cannot determine exactly why more EMS events occur in Washougal versus Camas. We break down reasons for EMS requests by general reasons, and some types of calls occur more frequently in Camas and others more so in Washougal, and there is no clear causality.”