We believe Benton County Fire District 1 does a solid job providing emergency medical service to people living inside the district’s boundaries, but it isn’t as good as it could be.
That’s because it lacks its own ambulance service, and has to rely on other districts to fill that gap. Fire Chief Lonnie Click and his crew would like to change that, but it will take additional money.
Fire District 1 officials are considering asking voters to approve an emergency medical service levy that would add 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. Fire commissioners are expected in April to decide whether to put the measure to voters.
In the meantime, Click and other supporters of the proposal have been working hard to get the attention of those voters living in the 320-square-mile fire district who would have to foot the bill.