The six-year Walla Walla County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy is up for renewal in the Feb. 10, 2026, Special Election.

What is the EMS levy?

The EMS Levy is a designated fund that is used to help support Emergency Medical Services in Walla Walla County. 

The levy helps to ensure the continued rapid response of trained and certified EMS personnel throughout Walla Walla County. Whether you live in a remote corner of the county or in the heart of a city, your EMS system is prepared to serve you. EMS personnel from all agencies work and train together to ensure a coordinated and quality pre-hospital system.

Does Walla Walla County already have an EMS levy?

Yes, but it will be back on the ballot on Feb. 10, 2026, for reapproval. It’s not a new tax; it’s a replacement levy that is voted on every six years. The new levy will run Jan. 1, 2027 through Dec. 31, 2032. The cost will be at same rate as previous levies: $0.50 per $1,000 assessed property value. 

How are the funds from the EMS Levy spent?

Levy dollars help fire districts and municipalities fund EMS without jeopardizing vital fire protection monies.

The Revised Code of Washington (RCW 84.52.069) states that levy dollars may only be used for the provision of EMS, such as:

• EMS training
• Equipment — i.e., defibrillators, ambulances, medical supplies, etc.)
• Certified personnel — i.e., Paramedics, Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMT), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and Emergency Medical Responders (EMR)

The EMS Levy helps bridge the gap between what Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance don’t cover for emergency ambulance transports.

Walla Walla County EMS related facts

• EMS personnel in Walla Walla County cover more than 1,200 square miles, with 60,000+ residents and visitors.
• Most EMS personnel are cross trained as Firefighters.
• There are eight fire/EMS agencies covering all of Walla Walla County: six rural fire districts (North County Fire District, Fire Districts 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8), the City of College Place Fire Department, and the City of Walla Walla Fire Department.
• The EMS system in Walla Walla County is set up for a tiered response during emergency medical incidents. This means when you call 911, the dispatcher simultaneously sends the closest fire district medical responders, as well as a transporting ambulance.

Special Election information

For information about the Feb. 10, 2026, Special Election, visit the Walla Walla County Elections Department website or call the Elections Department at 509.524.2530.