Emergency Services in West Richland could be cut if levy doesn't pass

  • Source: KAPP-TV Yakima
  • Published: 07/13/2016 05:59 AM

$600,000 is on the line for the Benton County Fire District 4. Their emergency services now hanging in the balance. "We have proven that we have reduced ambulance response time by. An average of three minutes in our community," says chief Bill Whealan of the fire district. The levy would pay for staffing, and equipment for 24 hours, 7 days a week across two stations. Whealan says this service is critical. EMS responses earlier this year amounted to 77 percent of all calls for help. "Well I'm very concerned being one of the recipients this great service that we built here in this organization and the men and women here are absolutely endearing to this community," says Whealan. If the levy does not pass, the fire district faces losing ambulance service, as well as half of its 24/7 staff coverage. Whealan explains, "We're asking to renew the levee at the same amount they are currently paying." That comes out to about $10.42 a month for the average homeowner. The district says it simply wants to maintain funding already in place.



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