On the Nov. 5 Ballot will appear “Proposition No. 1. Medic One – Emergency Medical Services replacement of Existing Levy.”

It must be reauthorized every six years.

What is Medic One?

• Medic One/EMS services are those that you get anytime you call 911 for a medical emergency in King County.

• It is available to everyone, whatever the medical emergency.

• By dialing 911, callers have immediate access to the system and its medical care, regardless of location, circumstances, or time of day.

• It now serves a region of over 2 million in population and responds every 3 minutes to a medical emergency.

• In 2017, firefighter/EMTs responded to more than 211,000 calls in King County.

• Paramedics responded to more than 51,000 of those calls to provide critical medical help.

• With Medic One, cardiac arrest victims here are two to three times more likely to survive, compared to other cities. In 2018, the survival rate for cardiac arrest was 56 percent throughout the region.

• The proposed levy rate is 26.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

• An owner of a $500,000 home in the region will pay approximately $133 a year for Medic One services which is approximately $2/month more than the current rate.

Medic One saves lives and we are lucky to have it.

As a firefighter in South King County for the last 35 years I urge all of us to continue to support Medic One by voting yes on this very important issue.

– Greg Markley