A ballot item for residents in Grays Harbor Fire District 2 will go before voters in August to continue the emergency medical services levy currently in place.
The six year levy, if renewed, would continue at the same rate of $.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
“It’s a six-year EMS levy. This has been in place since 2006,” said Chief John McNutt, in an interview. “(If so voted) this will be the fourth time it’s been renewed.”
The EMS levy funds specifically fund the medical side of District 2’s operations, McNutt said. Medical calls are the largest part of operations for fire departments countywide, The Daily World has previously reported.
“The money we’re asking for is additional to help us on the EMS side. 70% of our calls this year has been EMS,” McNutt said. “We need this to continue providing services that the community has come to expect and that we want to provide.”
From ambulances to heart monitors, volunteer training to Band-Aids, the levy helps fund all aspects of EMS operations, McNutt said.
“How are we going to fund upgrades? Those monitors are not a cheap item,” McNutt said. “Supplies are costing more all around. This is another thing this funds. All the IV fluids, all the medications. Everything from the heart monitor down to the Band-Aid we put on you, the EMS levy funds.”
One of the most visible uses is the remounting of one of the ambulance boxes on a new chassis, McNutt said.
“This is what helps us with ambulance replacement and maintenance costs. We’re having an ambulance remounted hopefully starting in August,” McNutt said. “It’s been well taken care of to get to 208,000 miles but it’s starting to show problems. They’re going to make some upgrades, because of course, things have changed.”
The levy will help take care of personnel, McNutt said. Without it, a funding source the department has had for nearly two decades, its primary funding source for emergency services, will evaporate.
“If this doesn’t pass, the detriment is that we will lose the funding we currently collect. This impacts our ability to upgrade equipment and provide training,” McNutt said. “The A-team, we need to make sure we can fund that A-team and keep them healthy. Healthy responders are a much better things.”
Siding project
Residents may have noticed work being done on District 2’s Brady station, covering the eastern flank of the district’s area of responsibility. The more than half-century old firehouse is having its siding replaced, McNutt said, adding the money for the project came from last year’s levy.
“It needed to be done,” McNutt said. “It was the original siding from the 1960s.”
While the siding had been well-maintained and repainted over the years, time and the Pacific coast weather had taken a toll.
“The weather had really done its work to it. You could tell, especially the west side. It was very very weathered,” McNutt said. “It was in need of some love.”
Having waited for the summer weather, the project began last week, aiming for completion in August, McNutt said. The project is projected to cost about $200,000, McNutt said.
“We’re looking forward to it. We appreciate the support from last year’s levy,” McNutt said. “This was one of the main projects we wanted to accomplish.”
Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or michael.lockett@thedailyworld.com.
