Firefighters' Leaders Flame Kirkland Over Medic One Levy Reauthorization

Five leaders of local firefighters’ unions are urging the city of Kirkland and its council to end an “unsettling money grab” and approve an effort to put a levy on the fall ballot to reauthorize King County’s much-lauded Medic One/EMS service.

But City Manager Kurt Triplett on Monday tossed water on any notion that Kirkland is trying to get more money in discussions with the county about the levy proposal.

Late last month, King County Executive Dow Constantine transmitted to the county council an ordinance that would put to voters in November reauthorization for six years of the Medic One rescue service. Medic One is a coordinated life-saving service by 30 fire departments and 20 hospitals that is said to result in King County having one of the highest heart-attack survival rates in the nation at 52 percent.

Endorsed by the county’s EMS Advisory Task Force, the levy rate for the 2014-2019 levy period would be 33.5 cents per $1,000 assessed value, resulting in a $107 annual charge to the average homeowner—three dollars less than the cost in 2008.

Kirkland and eight over cities in King County with more than 50,000 residents by state law have veto power over putting region-wide levies on the ballot. The five leaders of the firefighters unions say Kirkland has used that power to thwart the move to put the levy on the ballot, first arguing with the county over what fire department controls trained paramedics used in the system and then seeking a greater share of money allocated by the levy.

Leaders of union locals for firefighters in Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville/Bothell, Bellevue and the Northshore Fire Department issued a press release urging Kirkland to approve the plan. Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride responded that the city and the city council fully support Medic One and said she is confident approval will be forthcoming.

Brian Vadney, a firefighter at Kirklands’ Rose Hill Station 26 and president of the Kirkland Firefighters local, said the city asked good questions early in the process, but is now dragging its heels and jeopardizing an essential public safety service.

“I’m troubled a bit by the city,” he said Monday. “Now it has gone beyond asking tough questions, and it’s putting the levy at risk. It has become in our minds a money grab, and that’s disappointing. We don’t think the city should delay a healthy program.”

But Triplett said a healthy Medic One program is what the city is working toward and said he was frustrated the firefighter leaders would say the city is seeking more money.

“If they had taken the time to ask us about the state of negotiations, they would know we absolutely are not doing a money grab,” he said. “We are not holding up the levy."

The larger cities and the King County Council must approve the plan by early July to get the levy on the ballot. Triplett said he is optimistic that will happen.

But he acknowledged Kirkland has sought what he called a modest change in the proposal. Kirkland is the only city among the nine larger cities that does not have paramedics.

The city of Redmond administers paramedics used in the Medic One system locally. Two paramedics are stationed at Kirkland’s EvergreenHealth Medical Center, but they are Redmond Fire Department employees. Paramedics receive a higher level of training and certification than Emergency Medical Technicians—all Kirkland firefighters are trained EMTs.

Triplett said in negotiations with the county, Kirkland simply asked to have control of the Evergreen paramedic unit. “King County said ‘no’ and Redmond said ‘no,’” Triplett said.

So Kirkland then asked for language to be added that would allow Kirland to become a paramedic provider in the nest Medic One levy, in 2020. Again the answer was no, Triplett said.

“The regional partnership has to be a partnership,” he said. “We thought the request was modest.”

Triplett said a city the size of Kirkland might well be able to opt out of the Medic One system and run its own paramedic program—even a better one that costs less.

“The thing that matters most to us is the health and safety of the residents of Kirkland. The good news is that our negotiations with King County Council members are going much better than they did with the county executive’s office.”

The firefighters’ press release said Kirkland is now “withholding approval unless Medic One re-allocates additional monies back to the city,” and Vadney said he was puzzled by that tactic.

“That’s the disconnect—now the city is playing hardball,” he said.

Triplett said he is optimistic the city and the county council will reach an agreement, “We have thoughtful people on all sides,” he said.

Vadney said the firefighters’ union leaders are urging residents to contact Kirkland City Council members to urge them to approve the levy plan.

For more on Medic One, click here and for more on the levy, click here.