On September 1, residents of Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and the surrounding rural townships will have the opportunity to determine the future of emergency medical services in our communities.

A “Yes” vote will establish the proposed EMS districts and provide a path toward stable, locally controlled funding for the Lisbon–Mt. Vernon Ambulance Service. Once established, the districts can work together to support one coordinated EMS system serving Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and the townships of Linn, Bertram, Putnam, Franklin, and Cedar.

Why are the EMS districts needed?

LMVAS has served our communities since 1974. During that time, the service has grown from a small volunteer organization into an advanced emergency medical service capable of providing critical care paramedic coverage.

However, the way ambulance services are funded has not kept pace with the growing demand for care.

LMVAS faces increasing costs for ambulances, medical equipment, medications, insurance, training, facility maintenance, and qualified personnel. At the same time, ambulance reimbursement frequently falls short of the actual cost of providing service.

The average cost of an LMVAS patient transport is approximately $927, while the average insurance reimbursement is only about $602. That leaves an average funding gap of approximately $325 for every patient transported.

LMVAS also receives little or no reimbursement for many responses that do not result in transportation to a hospital. Even when a patient is treated at the scene or decides not to be transported, LMVAS must still provide trained personnel, an equipped ambulance, medications, supplies, and emergency response capabilities.

Fundraising, grants, municipal contributions, and thousands of volunteer hours have helped LMVAS continue operating, but those resources cannot provide the long-term stability our growing communities need.

What would district funding support?

Stable funding would allow LMVAS to plan responsibly for both daily operations and future needs. The proposed districts would help support:

• Consistent paramedic staffing

• Faster access to advanced emergency care

• Improved response times

• Recruitment and retention of volunteers

• Community CPR, Stop the Bleed, and health-education programs

The goal is not to replace LMVAS’s volunteers. It is to give them the staffing, equipment, facilities, and support they need to continue serving our communities.

Why vote yes?

Emergency care should be available when it is needed

A medical emergency can happen at any hour. Stable funding will help ensure that trained personnel and properly equipped ambulances are available when our families, friends, neighbors, and visitors need them.

Paramedic care matters

During a heart attack, stroke, severe injury, breathing emergency, or cardiac arrest, minutes matter. Consistent paramedic staffing brings advanced assessment, medications, cardiac care, pain management, airway treatment, and other lifesaving capabilities closer to the patient.

Volunteers need sustainable support

Volunteers remain the cornerstone of LMVAS, but increasing call volumes, training requirements, and time commitments make it difficult to rely on volunteers alone. District funding would help LMVAS maintain its volunteer tradition while providing the professional staffing and operational support necessary for a modern EMS system.

The communities will share responsibility

LMVAS serves residents across city and township boundaries. The proposed districts create a fairer structure in which the communities that depend on the service share in supporting it.

Funding will remain local

Revenue generated by the districts will be used to support emergency medical services in the communities covered by LMVAS. The district structure also provides local oversight and public accountability for how those funds are used.

What could it cost?

With voter approval, the proposed districts may establish a residential property-tax levy of $0.667 per $1,000 of nonagricultural taxable valuation of up to $1.00 per $1,000 of nonagricultural taxable valuation, as authorized by Iowa law. The actual amount would be established through the district’s public budgeting process.

A decision about our future

For more than 50 years, LMVAS has answered the call through the commitment of local volunteers, community donors, municipal partners, and dedicated EMS professionals. That community support built the service we have today.

Now we must decide how to sustain it for the next generation.

A “Yes” vote on September 1 is a vote for dependable ambulance coverage, consistent paramedic care, supported volunteers, modern equipment, and a locally accountable EMS system.

Vote Yes on September 1

Help secure the future of emergency medical services in Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and the surrounding rural communities.

Vote Yes for the proposed EMS districts on Tuesday, September 1.