ARLINGTON, Wash. — It is said "elections have consequences" — and that is being felt deeply in one Snohomish County city.
Last August, Arlington voters rejected a levy increase and the impact could soon be felt in the form of life threatening cuts to the fire service.
Snohomish County Fire District 21 could lose two paramedics, reducing their crew numbers by 50%. The district serves an area with an aging and growing population of 10,000 and covers 70 square miles.
Firefighters in the district train regularly to save lives, but what they're dealing with right now is not a drill.
"It's drastic," said firefighter Steven Hutzell. "We need this."
Calls in the district have increased more than 100% since 2017. There were over 1,500 calls for service just last year.
The district's two fire stations each run skeleton crews of just two people each.
The district contracts with an outside agency for two additional paramedics when needed, but increasing costs mean it can no longer afford that contract. Three consecutive levy failures, including one last August by just 107 votes, mean come July 1, those paramedics will be gone.
That possible loss puts both firefighters, and the community they serve, at risk, Hutzell said.
"It's like, what would you want for your family? I consider these people I work with family," said Hutzell.
Fire Chief Chad Schmidt said it simply isn't safe to run two-person crews. In fact, a two-person crew isn't allowed to enter a burning home for a rescue. Without those contracted paramedics, crews will have to wait 10 to 20 minutes for mutual aid from neighboring cities.
"We've got kids out here with allergies," said Schmidt, who lives in Arlington. "A 20-minute wait for them literally will be fatal. People could absolutely die if we don't have a paramedic response that's fast and efficient."
Schmidt said he believes that voters think the district must be awash in money because of the three previous levy requests.
"I don' think they realize they all failed," he said of the past levies.
As a result, District 21 is going to the voters once again. A special election is scheduled for April 23, a fourth attempt at a levy passage.
This time, the chief is asking voters for a little more money than last August to fully fund five paramedics between the two fire houses, and re-staff two part-time positions previously cut.