Paul Johnson, of Gowrie, spent Sunday, July 28, 2024, as he normally did, attending church services, golfing in the afternoon, and enjoying BBQ ribs with his family.

But later that day while watching the Olympics in his basement, he suddenly felt a lump in his throat, had severe indigestion, and broke out into a cold sweat.

Johnson’s daughter, who is a nurse, was at their home and told him that he was having a heart attack. A team from Southwest Webster Emergency Medical Service was at Johnson’s home within minutes to transport him to UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge.

Johnson said he remembers speaking with the EMT and ambulance driver as they made the turn from Callender to U.S. Highway 169 and then, he said, his heart flatlined twice. Johnson and his family were later told that he had a widowmaker heart attack.

“If it weren’t for the Southwest Webster ambulance service, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Johnson. “I know that for certain.”

Johnson is one of many who have utilized life-saving ambulance services in Webster County and is now advocating for EMS to be named an essential service at an upcoming March 4 special election.

Emergency medical services have never been funded in the state of Iowa, unlike their police and fire department counterparts which do receive line item budgets from local governments. Without funding to pay for medical supplies, training, ambulances, fuel, and more, EMS services throughout Webster County have had to borrow from fire departments or rely on donations.

Rural ambulance services like Southwest Webster EMS as well as Dayton Rescue Squad and even departments like the Badger Fire Department are struggling to keep services available due to lack of funding. Some are even considering the possibility of disbanding if funding isn’t made available.

If the March 4 special election vote to make EMS an essential service passes, a dedicated tax of 75 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value would fund EMS services throughout the county.

“I will absolutely support the vote and gladly pay the additional taxes,” said Johnson. “Everyone should have access to EMTs and ambulance services. They saved my life. They will save many more.”

But the need for EMS services and access isn’t limited to just rural Webster County residents. In 2024 within the city of Fort Dodge, there were 217 instances where no EMS units were available to respond immediately to EMS calls, and 391 calls experienced delayed response times because units were called to other emergencies.

On 84 different occasions in 2024, response times exceeded seven minutes, which is considered a critical delay.

“We want to get an ambulance and our EMTs to a call as quickly as possible,” said Fort Dodge Assistant Fire Chief Matt Price. “We do have to move people from one call to the next if we don’t have enough staffing or ambulance units. Making EMS an essential service would provide the funding, the staffing, the units, and the supplies that are needed to save lives in Webster County.”

Last year, the Fort Dodge Fire Department responded to 5,324 total calls for service with 4,852 occurring within the city limits. Of these, 3,479 were EMS-related.

“This highlights the high demand for EMS services in Fort Dodge,” said City Manager David Fierke. “This demand is only expected to grow, making it essential to ensure that the EMS system is properly funded and staffed to meet these needs.”

Fort Dodge staffs three ambulances during the day and two at night. However, when multiple emergencies occur simultaneously, there are times when there aren’t enough ambulances and personnel to respond to each call.

According to Price, in these cases, staff may be redirected from fire calls to cover ambulance calls which can then slow down fire response times.

Last year, the Fort Dodge Fire Department responded to 45 building fires, but on seven occasions, fire units were unavailable to respond immediately because they were tied up with EMS calls.

“These delays in fire response can have significant consequences,” said Fierke.

The city of Fort Dodge currently funds the Fire Department for fire protection, but the ambulance service is not considered essential, much like its rural department counterparts, and thus is not funded. If the essential service levy passes, Fort Dodge Fire Rescue along with other Webster County ambulance transport agencies like Southwest Webster EMS and Dayton Rescue Squad, would receive necessary funding.

“The breakdown of that funding looks roughly like Fort Dodge receiving about $1.2 million, because again, they have the largest tax base,” said Luke Hugghins, Badger EMS coordinator and member of the EMS committee. “All of the revenue from that northern part of the county stays with that department.”

According to Fierke, Fort Dodge Fire Rescue services more than just the city itself. The department responds to calls across the entire northern portion of Webster County including major highways like U.S. highways 20 and 169 as well as the Gypsum City OHV Park, Dolliver Memorial State Park, Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, Fort Dodge Regional Airport, and the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex.

“Designating EMS as an essential service is critical not just for public safety, but for the continued success of Fort Dodge,” said Fierke. “Securing funding for EMS ensures that the resources are in place to meet the growing demand for emergency services and guarantees that businesses and residents alike will have access to timely and effective emergency medical care when it is needed most.”

If EMS is named an essential service in March, Fort Dodge would have funding to purchase an additional ambulance, build a second station on the west side of Fort Dodge, and hire more staff.

“This will ensure that there are enough ambulances to cover the city and surrounding areas, reducing response times and increasing the availability of resources during emergencies,” said Fierke.

The special election for EMS as an essential service is scheduled for March 4. Members of the EMS committee are encouraging residents to vote by absentee ballot given that Iowa weather in early March is rarely dry. Absentee ballots for the special election are now available at the Webster County Auditor’s Office at the Webster County Courthouse. The last day to request an absentee ballot is Monday. The last day to vote in person at the Courthouse is March 3. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 4.