(ABC 6 News) – Every day, first responders go the extra mile to make sure we’re okay. But they need the resources to do that.

For workers in Floyd County, it’s not just about the staffing, but money.

“Eventually that’s going to cause us to shut our doors. That’s kind of the scary thing. Sitting and waiting,” said Logan Boos, an ambulance driver with the Nora Springs Volunteer Ambulance Service.

The Floyd County EMS Advisory Council wants to put in place an EMS tax levy to help fund the annual bill of more than $400,000. But there’s no firm number on how that could impact taxpayers.

“At the end of the day, what’s at stake [are] the ambulances. The same level of ambulance service citizens of Floyd County enjoy today, will they enjoy tomorrow?” said Patrick Lumley, the chair of the Floyd County EMS Advisory Council.

While that gets figured out, the Nora Springs Ambulance is also looking for bigger numbers – more volunteers.

Dave Luett, the service director with the Nora Springs Ambulance says in Iowa, a lot of people are aging out of the EMS industry in general. Adding that there is no one to come and take their place.

Between three EMT-certified volunteers and four drivers, it’s simply not enough.

“It’s a lot of pressure to keep the service going and stay on call all the time,” added Luett.

Meanwhile, Boos says while staffing puts pressure on the team, the difference they make in people’s lives keeps them going.

“To show up to somebody’s worst day and try to help them through it. It can be as simple as talking to them, or taking them to the hospital. Give them that level of ‘everything’s going to be okay’ for a minute.”

The goal is to get a tax levy proposal on a ballot sometime by the end of the year. As for the volunteers, the ambulance service says you don’t have to live in Nora Springs to help out.