VIDEO: In a profession where seconds can mark the difference between triumph and tragedy, the Canyon County Ambulance District has finally secured the time it needs to catch up with rapid growth. Voters approved a $7.9 million temporary levy this election, providing the short-staffed district with funding after two failed permanent levy attempts last year. The third time proved to be the charm for emergency responders racing against both the clock and rapid population expansion.
“We got a lot of support and feedback from the public, and probably the biggest feedback that we got was they did not like the permanent part,” Canyon County Ambulance District Chief Michael Stowell said.The district’s response times tell a story of a system stretched beyond its limits. Stowell says response times have climbed by one to two minutes over recent years as Canyon County continues to grow faster than emergency services can expand.
The levy funding will allow the district to hire seven new paramedics and add another ambulance to their fleet. The money will also support construction of a new station in Caldwell – the first station built there in more than 20 years – and replace the South Nampa station that has been scheduled to be torn down. To maximize taxpayer value, the district hopes to partner with St. Alphonsus on repurposing an existing building for the new South Nampa station rather than constructing from scratch, a move that aims to save costs.
