Letter to the Editor for Feb. 26, 2026 |
As Fire Chief of the El Dorado Fire Department, I feel a responsibility to speak plainly about what the proposed sales tax to support our local hospital truly means for our community.
Our hospital is not simply another business in town. It is a critical component of our public safety infrastructure. As a regional hospital in South Arkansas, strategically located nearly two hours from other major medical centers in Little Rock, Shreveport, Texarkana, and Pine Bluff, it serves as the primary destination for our sick and injured citizens.
The El Dorado Fire Department operates the city's ambulance service. Every day, our paramedics respond to heart attacks, strokes, major trauma, pediatric emergencies, and countless other time-sensitive medical crises. In those moments, minutes matter.
If our hospital experiences a severe reduction in services, or worse closure; our ambulances would be forced to transport patients long distances to other cities. These extended transport times would remove units from service for hours at a time, leaving fewer ambulances available to respond to the next emergency here at home.
Our current EMS delivery model cannot sustain that kind of strain without significant expansion. The city would be forced to invest substantial financial resources into purchasing additional ambulances and hiring more EMTs and paramedics.
And that is not a simple solution.
Fire and EMS agencies across the nation are facing critical staffing shortages. Recruiting and retaining qualified paramedics is increasingly difficult. Ambulance manufacturing delays are also significant. The last ambulance we purchased for the City of El Dorado took more than 700 days to be delivered.
These are not theoretical concerns. They are operational realities.
Our hospital has recently entered into an agreement with Baptist Health Systems, which is a strong and promising step forward. However, without local financial support through this sales tax initiative, the hospital will lack the necessary funding to upgrade equipment and facilities needed to maintain services.
This issue is not about politics. It is about public safety, access to emergency care, and the long-term stability of our community.
A functioning emergency department close to home is not a luxury, it is essential infrastructure. The strength of our hospital directly impacts the strength of our EMS system, our fire department, and ultimately the safety of every citizen in El Dorado and the surrounding region.
I encourage voters to carefully consider what is truly at stake and the long-term consequences for our community's health and safety.
Nationally Registered Paramedic