As someone who has been fortunate enough to work closely with all of our incredible San Juan County emergency response agencies for nearly 20 years, I have been increasingly surprised and concerned by the tone of those opposed to the upcoming San Juan Island EMS levy. I want to take a moment to explain why I’m voting yes for EMS.

First off, there’s nothing about this levy that is a referendum on whether Fire and EMS should merge. Like many people, I’m fully convinced that stand-alone fire departments are a relic of the past and combining the two makes perfect sense. Like many people, I also think that successful mergers of organizations (especially small-town, volunteer-dependent organizations) take mutual respect, patience, and a willingness to meet in the middle.

By voting yes, I’m giving our extremely dedicated and skilled EMS and fire agencies time to make progress towards a merger in a way that is thoughtful and focused on a smooth and well-considered transition. I don’t pretend to understand the personalities and politics at play that have led to the toxic flavor of the dialog at the moment, but it is clear that in order to move forward there needs to be a healthy reset and time for cooler and more civil heads to prevail.

Voting yes gives that time, increases the likelihood of a future merger based on the sort of respectful and decent tone that matches our community’s values and spirit, and most importantly ensures a swift, capable, and well supported EMS response when we need it.

Our island deserves nothing less.

Brendan Cowan

Friday Harbor