Approve EMS levy

Published 1:30 am Sunday, January 30, 2022

My name is Kyle and I have been a member of San Juan Island Emergency Medical Services for 23 years, the last 10 as one of your paramedics.

I am proud of my agency and its membership, and above all else of the service we provide to our rural and remote community. For 26 years, I was also a member, then employee, of San Juan Island Fire and Rescue. I am confident that a time will come when integrating both services will be reasonable and responsible. That time is not now.

The reason I will vote in favor of our EMS Levy Renewal is because SJIFR has not demonstrated to me how it will deliver equal or better pre-hospital medical services to you, our families, friends, neighbors, and visitors under integration. Written plans including capital and operating budgets and an agency structure that reflects the critical importance of EMS, the demonstrated value of a community paramedicine program, and public medical education are part of this. Included must be cooperative, confidence-instilling, open-door conversations about ensuring such quality and value. All have been missing to date.

I will support integration when I am confident that these plans are developed by leadership who are proud to share them before dismantling and vilifying the excellent services of others and who insist on integrity, cooperation, and mutual respect. If I have an agenda, it’s continuing to maintain and refine the care you’ve come to depend on.

Please help renew the EMS Levy.

Kyle Davies

San Juan Island