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Medic One/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system serving Seattle and King County fact sheet

On July 1, 2025, the King County Council passed King County Ordinance 19950, authorizing the placement of a 6-year, 25-cent Medic One/EMS levy on the November 4, 2025 general election.

Entitled King County Proposition 1, this ballot measure asks voters to continue funding Medic One emergency medical services for 2026-2031.

Following is information about the Medic One/EMS system serving Seattle and King County and what the levy would fund if approved by voters.

What is Medic One/EMS?

Medic One/EMS services are those that you get anytime you call 9-1-1 for a medical emergency in King County.

It is available to everyone, whatever the medical emergency.

By dialing 9-1-1, callers have immediate access to the system and its medical care, regardless of location, circumstances, or time of day.

The Medic One program was started in Seattle in the early 1970’s.

It now serves a region of 2.3 million in population and responds every 2 minutes to a request for emergency medical assistance.

  • In 2024, firefighter/EMTs responded to 255,602 calls in King County.
  • Paramedics responded to 48,258 of those calls to provide critical medical help.

With Medic One, cardiac arrest victims here are 2 to 3 times more likely to survive, compared to other cities. In 2024, the survival rate for cardiac arrest was 46% throughout the region.

What is a Medic One/Ems Levy?

  • The 2026-2031 Medic One/EMS levy is a proposed property tax levy.
  • The current Medic One/EMS levy expires December 31, 2025.
  • A property tax levy has supported King County’s Medic One/EMS system since 1979.
  • King County Proposition 1 will be on the November 4, 2025 ballot and asks voters to renew funding emergency medical services for 2026-2031.

What is the levy rate? How much will it cost?

  • The proposed levy rate is 25-cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
  • An owner of a $850,000 home in the region will pay approximately $212 a year for Medic One services.

What will the proposed levy fund?

  1. Continuing the current services through 2026-2031.
    • Fully funded Advanced Life Support (ALS, or paramedic) operations with the current 27 ALS units in service;
    • Partial funding to local fire and emergency response departments for Basic Life Support (referred to as BLS, or “first responders”);
    • Continued commitment to Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) to support community needs;
    • Programs that support the functions and direct services of the entire Medic One/EMS system; and
    • Initiatives that enhance care to diverse communities, increase quality improvement capabilities, and modernize the continuing medical education program.
  2. Enhancing services to meet projected 2026-2031 demands.
    • Broadening connections with communities to facilitate access to services;
    • Modernizing electronic tools for dispatchers to better assist callers and emergency medical responders; and
    • Reserves and policies that help safeguard the system from unforeseen financial risks and service demands.
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