To the editor:

Fort Dodge and Webster County need to assure all families have immediate emergency medical services as an essential service when someone has a heart attack or terrible car accident on a rural county gravel road. That is why I am voting yes on March 4.

The Messenger has done several excellent stories explaining why we need to support this measure. One example is Paul Johnson from the Gowrie area who had a heart attack and if not for the response of many on the way to Unity Point Hospital, he would not be living today. Nobody should not have access within reasonable time for such care.

I am writing to voice my strong support for making emergency medical services an essential service in Webster County. With EMS resources and staffing populations declining nationwide, local essential service funding ensures that our EMS providers are properly trained, staffed, and equipped to sustainably serve our region.

As a resident of Fort Dodge, I’ve heard many people in favor of this, but I’ve also heard the opinion that Fort Dodge residents already have access to a paid ambulance service, so some don’t want to pay more for guaranteed regional coverage.

That is not the full story.

There is an immediate need for additional resources regardless of the number of calls outside Fort Dodge. Fort Dodge only has one staffed EMS ambulance 12 hours per day, so after one call during the day, they use personnel assigned to fire trucks to cover EMS. When there are numerous EMS calls at once, there are no more firefighters or EMS providers left to immediately respond to any type of call (EMS, fire or rescue). In 2024, Fort Dodge Fire Rescue had 217 instances where nobody was left to respond to another call.

I also moderated the last monthly “Eggs and Issues” Feb. 22, and all of our local legislators voiced support of this measure. They know our entire county deserves access to emergency care as soon as possible.

Whether inside or outside of city limits, my family and I enjoy many of Webster County’s amenities and have always wanted to do so with the safety of a regional EMS system in place. But it needs to be available. We have several major employers located outside the city limits who depend on regional EMS services as well.

I want my children, grandchildren, and future generations to know we voted to make their safety a priority.

Please join me and our family in voting “YES” on March 4.

Jim Kersten

Fort Dodge