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GUEST OPINION
It’s ironic that the people most responsible for responding to emergencies plan for every possible threat except for threats to the system itself. SPOFR trains all year how to put out fires that don’t currently exist but dismisses the biggest threat of all; that circumstances may change and SPOFR won’t be able to afford to keep delivering high-level EMS services.
Cycles are long but memories are short. It wasn’t too long ago that SPOFR was having hard times financially. And now Medicaid is under pressure. Reimbursements from the VA are under pressure. The State budget is under pressure. How and when this might impact local Fire Districts and EMS services is hard to predict. But leaders need to plan in decades, not on today’s financial statement. Leaders need to anticipate change, not be lulled into a false sense of security by today’s good times. That’s why the county commissioners are seriously considering forming a countywide EMS District.
Is it urgent to form an EMS District right now? Maybe not, but waiting until it becomes urgent would be a sign of failed leadership. It’s poor planning to wait to buy a fire extinguisher until your kitchen is on fire. Meeting the challenges of tomorrow means planning for them today. This is a case where it’s better to be a year too early than a day too late. Let’s not wait for a crisis to plan for a crisis.
Imagining a future where EMS services are threatened is not hard. What the county commissioners are doing is trying to come up with a way to prevent a worst-case scenario. That’s where the ambulance and paramedics don’t show up when you’re the one having a heart attack.
There are currently no taxes contemplated, but any money raised or cost savings achieved would be first used to keep people from the nightmare of medical debt. A lot of Pend Oreille County residents are one ambulance ride away from going broke. Maybe not if they own a waterfront house on Diamond Lake but in many other parts of the county.
This pass-through model of funding is intended to provide greater economic security for our most vulnerable residents, as well as keep operational control fully with the Fire Districts. Let me be clear; the county commissioners have no desire to be in charge of EMS operations.
Some of the Fire Departments are already working together to create greater access and better longterm EMS sustainability. Fire Districts No. 2 and No. 4 recently entered into an agreement that could be a model for the rest of the State. But there are issues in the county between some of the Fire Departments, and one of the primary reasons to form a countywide EMS District is to force people to the table to talk when there are issues that need to get worked out. Recently one Fire District Chief stated that “Mutual aid/resource deployment strategies are being evaluated county-wide following multiple discrepancies and questions asked.” That’s an indication that all is not well. By the way, those are the words of SPOFR Chief Stocking. The Chief also said he was going to call a meeting to address these issues and that all interested parties would be invited. As far as I know that hasn’t happened.
And let me say this directly to Chief Stocking; any differences we have reflects the fact that we have different duties and perspectives. Your first duty is to represent the interests of the citizens of South Pend Oreille County and Newport. My duty is to represent the interests of all county citizens. That means we look at situations differently. Resolving our differences so everyone benefits is challenging but achievable. By working together in a genuinely collaborative way we can achieve our individual and collective goals. So let’s attack the problems and not each other.
A few closing comments. Although grants were discussed, access to them has never been a central reason for creating the District. In the ‘Guiding Principles’ document I handed out on May 5 there are zero references to grants.
Regarding the thought that county commissioners shouldn’t get involved with EMS keep in mind there are already Districts under the authority of the County Commissioners: Northeast Tri County Health District Northeast Tri County Economic Development District Northeast Tri County Judicial District, which includes elected officials And about resistance to adding a new layer of government, keep in mind that Newport has done it recently. They added a Police Department in 2018 and added a business license requirement in 2023. Changing conditions require changing positions.
I hope we can agree that government at all levels should be conducted with the lightest touch at the lowest cost needed to provide essential services. And keeping you alive when you’re sick or injured is an essential service. Government can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all people, but it can play an import- ant role in preserving someone’s health on the worst day they could have.
These comments reflect my individual views and shouldn’t be taken to represent a consensus of the Board of County Commissioners. Public hearings will be held on Tuesday, June 24, in Metaline and July 1, in Newport. We encourage everyone to attend and share your thoughts.
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