Photo Courtesy of Canva

More than 30 people attended the latest Washington County Commissioners meeting to hear a 90-minute discussion on the future of local ambulance services. While no decisions were made, attendees—including officials from Clifton, Linn, and Washington—reviewed options and were encouraged to consult with their city councils about maintaining current services or pursuing a countywide model.

Republic County ambulance director Levi Whitley shared insights from their county-run system, recommending the hiring of an independent director as a first step, estimating a year to fully establish a countywide service.

Currently, the county has three city-owned ambulance services—Clifton, Linn, and Washington—with Hanover operating under Washington’s license.

Talks about a unified service stem from long-standing concerns over volunteer staffing and have surfaced periodically for decades.