MARSING, Idaho — The Marsing Ambulance Service is asking voters to approve a structural change to their EMS district in November. The initiative would allow them to dissolve their current district and create a new one — giving them the ability to better prepare for future growth.
- If passed, the initiative would not increase taxes to voters or impact ambulance service.
- The structural change would allow the new ambulance district to buy land, construct a facility, and apply for grants for equipment— all things they are currently unable to do.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
“We’re growing and we’re a volunteer agency. We have 16 volunteers, eight of them EMTs," says Jim Briggs, the chairman for the Marsing Ambulance Service.
He tells me Marsing and the surrounding areas they serve are seeing an increase in both population and call volume.
“We are currently housed in the Marsing Fire Department building and every year we’ve been growing 7 to 10% in both fire and ambulance. And before too long, they are going to have to get more equipment and they’re going to kick us out," says Briggs.
“Without an infrastructure in place to support an operation, it doesn’t work," says Marsing EMS Chief JD Phipps.
He tells me that they have a great relationship with the Marsing Rural Fire Department — but as equipment needs grow for both EMS and FIRE, they’ll likely need to find a new place to call home.
“We’re just trying to position ourselves, from an infrastructure perspective, to be able to meet those needs going forward," says Phipps.
For that reason, the Marsing Ambulance Service is asking voters to approve a structural change to their district — dissolving the current district and establishing a new one — giving them the ability to prepare for the future.
“It would also allow us to buy land and construct facilities for future growth, and allow us to be eligible for grants for equipment that we are ineligible for now," says Briggs. “The biggest thing is, we’re not asking for a levy increase."
He says voters would see no changes to their service and no tax increase if they vote "YES" for this initiative.
“The whole point of this initiative that we’re trying to get put in place is about preparing for the future," added Phipps.
