Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Volunteer fire company warns it may discontinue EMS service without funding
Summary
A representative at the Ocean View council meeting said the Lewis Fire Company has told County Council it may discontinue EMS service unless it receives funding, raising concern about coverage for the town and surrounding areas.
At a council meeting, a representative speaking about volunteer emergency services said the Lewis Fire Company has told County Council it will discontinue its EMS service if it does not receive funding. "If you're not going to fund us, we're not gonna — we're going to discontinue the EMS service," the representative said.
The speaker told the council the Lewis operation is the busiest EMS provider in the area and discussed county-level funding and resource splits, citing a figure of "5.5 million a year" that the speaker said is divided among jurisdictions. The representative emphasized uncertainty about how the allocation and equipment differences affect response capacity.
Council members and staff raised questions about who would cover calls if the volunteer unit reduces or ends EMS coverage and about existing contractual and county support arrangements. No formal direction or vote on new local funding appeared in the record of the meeting.
The council will consider budget and grant options in coming meetings as it finalizes the FY26 budget and capital plan; staff noted they are coordinating with county partners about EMS coverage and funding responsibilities.
