OAKWOOD, Ill. (WAND) - Multiple residents filled the Oakwood Village Hall Thursday night, wanting answers about the future of the local ambulance service. Emergency response leaders want to reform the coverage area into a special service district, so a tax levy can be implemented.

"If I [were] to call 911 right now, would I get a paramedic?" one resident asked. 

"There is no guarantee that you're going to get a paramedic at any point in time with our current staffing," said Zach Weddle, director of Oakwood Emergency Services.  

For nearly 50 years, Oakwood Emergency Rescue has relied on insurance payments from patients to fund the service. Now, with rising costs and reduced volunteer staffing, the village can no longer sustain it. Weddle urged the community to consider this tax. 

"With that, you're adding a significant amount of time on your response times. Sometimes almost 45 minutes to an hour. That's literally a difference of life and death in a critical situation," Weddle said.  

The tax would be for every $100 of assessed property value--people would pay 15 cents in tax. Weddle said multiple areas could be impacted, including Muncie and Sidell. 

"We've done the rough calculations. And with that, if you were able to get this to pass, in the entirety of the district, to reform it would result in the tax revenue, about $290,000 a year," Weddle said.  

For the tax proposal to be on the November ballot, the village must petition 10% of each village in the coverage district.   

"But even still, at that, it's got to be an all or nothing. We're looking at a drastic reduction in staff, coverage area, possibly even closing, because we get those that may not understand that fully," Weddle said.  

Some residents said they support the tax, but the village won't know the fate of their emergency services until November. Residents can expect village leaders to knock on their doors soon.

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