January 8, 2009
- Pasco, Washington
Need an Ambulance in West Richland?: Fire District Four Putting Heat on Voters
By Chelsea Kopta
WEST RICHLAND -- If you look in any garage in any fire department in the Tri Cities, you'll find an ambulance.
Except in West Richland. "Everyday since I've been here I've been asked by our citizens, why we don't we any ambulance services in West Richland," Benton County Fire District No. 4 Chief Mike Spring said. The answer is simple. Homeowners don't pay for it. "It's amazing to me that we don't have an ambulance service that' we've had to rely on other cities to provide that for us," West Richland Homeowner Stacy Carter said. Carter's never had to call 911, but she's got three little ones. If she needs help at home, Benton City or Richland fire crews would come to help. "The big question is why? Well, response times," Spring said. In West Richland, it could take up to 11 minutes for those other paramedics to have a stretcher at your door. You can die of a heart attack in 10 minutes, and die of brain damage in six. "It's the difference between life and death," Spring said. "The difference between five to 10 minutes and an ambulance getting here in response could mean saving my child's life," Carter said. Right now, Benton County Fire District Four said they can only guarantee a five-minute response time five-percent of the time. That means of 800 calls this year, only 40 will get help in less than five minutes. Has anyone suffered because the department does not have their own ambulance? "I mean, the easy answer is yes," Spring said. "Can I tell you some examples yeah but that would be touchy." Asking for more money in a tough economy won't be easy. The fire department wants to pass both a bond and levy that will cost most taxpayers about $120 a year. "You can't put a price on a life," Carter said. "Five minutes difference could save a life, how could you put a price on that." The issue goes to voters this November, but it won't be the most votes that wins. The fire department has to get a super majority. If the measure passes, Benton County Fire District Four could hire six medics, buy two rigs, and build a place to put the ambulances. |
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