SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Spokane County voters will consider the proposed renewal of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy for Spokane County Fire District 8 during the upcoming August primary election.

SCFD8 says it has not had a new levy since 2000. Fire officials say the reason behind the levy is the growing need to have paramedics available 24/7.

"It's a delay of care for patients, and sometimes those minutes do count, when we are talking about strokes, cardiac arrests, and very frequent medical calls," said SCFD8 Chief Lonnie Rash.

He says the EMS levy lift would provide two new firefighter positions who will have advanced training to perform life saving measures.

"There are particular drugs or life saving measures that advance life support folks, maybe can't do as quickly as

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