Voters Approve Countywide EMS Levy

The voters of Carbon County resoundingly voiced their support for the Emergency Medical Services levy last Tuesday, with 69 percent voting to approve the proposed levy and only 31 percent voting against.

This levy will help Joliet EMS to replace aging equipment, improve living quarters at the Fire Hall, provide a full time position and greater incentives to volunteers. These incentives are critical to the success of Joliet EMS as the current force is fully staffed by volunteers.

Montana is currently the biggest desert ambulance zone in the US. This means that a large percentage of our state population lives outside a 25 minute ambulance servicing area. Passage of this levy will help to ensure Carbon County can continue to prevent our area from becoming an ambulance desert and ensure our emergency service needs are met.

Joliet EMS launched a comprehensive, informative campaign to explain to voters why the levy was necessary. Red Lodge will bear the majority of the tax burden for this levy, due to a larger population and use of services, funding it at 50 percent, while Joliet and Bridger will each contribute 25 percent. For those who live in the Joliet district (Joliet/Edgar/Boyd/Silesia) this will equate to $6.09 per month or $73.08 per year for a $300,000 home.