The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

The Walla Walla County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy will be on the February 2020 Special Election ballot. Voters will have the opportunity to renew the EMS Levy that has been in place since 1990. The renewal of an existing levy is known as a Continuation Levy. Every six years the EMS Levy must be renewed by a vote of the people.

Money from the levy is only used to fund EMS. The EMS Levy provides funding that enables the following:

Continuing education of EMS providers

Providing equipment such as ambulances, defibrillators, medication, and other medical supplies

Allows fire districts to fund EMS without jeopardizing vital fire protection dollars

Ensures you receive quality pre-hospital care and transport throughout the County.

Offset the costs of providing quality EMS care.

Helps all EMS providers maintain a constant state of readiness.

Agencies supported by the County EMS Levy include:

Walla Walla Fire Department

College Place Fire Department

Fire District 1 (Clyde)

Fire District 2 (Waitsburg)

Fire District 3 (Eureka)

Fire District 4 (Walla Walla)

Fire District 5 (Burbank)

Fire District 6 (Touchet)

Fire District 7 (Prescott)

Fire District 8 (Dixie)

The Walla Walla County EMS Levy was first voted on by the residents of Walla Walla County on February 12th, 1990. The EMS Levy was initially setup as a six-year levy. This means every six years the levy requires another vote of the people to renew or continue the levy.

The Walla Walla County Commissioners are the governing body that provides oversight of the Walla Walla County EMS Levy. In 2019 the Commissioners reviewed the EMS Levy distribution model and voted to continue to use the same formula that has been used since its inception.