Every Second Counts

EMS ESSENTIAL VOTE NOVEMBER 5

Vision and Priorities

1. A coordinated EMS system that ensures timely emergency response to ALL Guthrie County residents.

Working with all current EMS services to expand services and reduce times to every part of Guthrie County is the most important priority of the EMS system.

2. A sustainable funding mechanism that promotes efficiency and maintains transparent accountability

A tax levy set at 75 cents per $1000 dollars of taxable value will give the EMS system the ability to contract with and shore up every EMS service in the county while providing coordination efficiencies. The system will ensure transparent accountability for every tax dollar used for EMS.

3. A quality focused EMS system that promotes the recruitment and retention of local EMS staff and volunteers.

Recruiting EMS professionals to our local communities and growing our volunteers will be crucial to creating a better system. Training new volunteers and retaining current staff is a key priority.

Guthrie County, Iowa, currently provides Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through three distinct entities: Panora EMS, Stuart EMS, and Adair Fire and Rescue. Each of these organizations plays a crucial role in delivering timely and effective emergency medical care to residents and visitors across the county. However, the existing structure presents challenges in terms of coordination, resource allocation, and comprehensive coverage.

Recognizing the need for a more unified and efficient EMS system, Guthrie County is proposing the establishment of a county-wide EMS framework. This system would be funded through a levy of 75 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation. The revenue generated from this levy would be used to contract with the existing EMS services and enhance their capabilities, ensuring that high-quality emergency medical care is accessible throughout the entire county.

Central to this new EMS system would be the appointment of an EMS advisory committee. This committee will be responsible for overseeing the integration of services, managing contracts with Panora EMS, Stuart EMS, and Adair Fire and Rescue, and ensuring that resources are distributed effectively to meet the needs of all county residents. The committee's role would also include strategizing improvements, standardizing protocols, and driving initiatives to expand EMS coverage and response times.

An integral part of this initiative is addressing the critical need for building a robust volunteer base and improving the recruitment and retention of EMS professionals. With a coordinated county-wide approach, Guthrie County aims to offer better training programs, provide incentives for volunteers, and create career development opportunities to attract and retain skilled EMS personnel. This would not only bolster the current workforce but also ensure that Guthrie County is prepared to meet future healthcare emergencies with a well-trained and dedicated team.

Through these efforts, Guthrie County strives to create a seamless, efficient, and resilient EMS system that can serve its communities more effectively, ensuring that every resident receives the highest standard of emergency medical care.

EMS in GUTHRIE COUNTY

EMS BY THE NUMBERS

By voting to make EMS in Guthrie essential and supporting an EMS levy you are helping to ensure that there are timely EMS services available to every Guthrie County Resident!

1600

EMS Calls Per Year

$650

Average Cost to EMS Per Ambulance Call

$463

Average Payment Per Ambulance Call

$150

Average proposed EMS Tax Levy Per House in Guthrie County

A tax levy set at 75 cents per $1000 dollars of taxable value per year will give the EMS system the ability to contract with and shore up every EMS service in the county while providing coordination efficiencies. You can calculate specific tax asking based on the taxable value of a property.

To find the value of your property you can go here to

Taxable Property Value

Funding

Your Frequently
Asked Questions Answered

After significant collaboration across Guthrie County from a series of community and small group meetings, a list of commonly asked questions and answers to those questions was developed.

Please read the EMS Q&A: Fact Sheet listed here to get more information.

EMS Q&A: Fact Sheet

Get More Through
Social Media &
Watch the Plan

We've created a dedicated Facebook Page to EMS in Guthrie County. Like and follow along for info on our educational meetings, recorded videos and general details ahead of the Nov. 5th Election.
And for those who may have missed one of our educational meetings, we recorded a full presentation to watch at your convenience.

Click the image to be directed to our Facebook Page or visit: https://www.facebook.com/EMSGuthrieCounty

Request for Proposal
Submitted Bids

Coming soon!

We are working to upload the original Request for Proposal (RFP), the four Bids for Service we received in response to the RFP and a video outlining the County's proposed plan to fund EMS through a countywide vote on Nov. 5th.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 29th at the Guthrie County Courthouse to learn more about EMS in Guthrie County ahead of the November 5th vote.