PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue launched a new ambulance at the start of 2025 -- aiming to cut response times for the district's most life-threatening emergencies.

Medic 21 -- which offers "state-of-the-art" Advanced Life Support aid -- serves La Center, Ridgefield, and the Woodland areas, including the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Reservation and unincorporated parts of North Clark County, the fire department announced December 31.

The new ambulance, which started service on January 1, aims to address an increased ambulance demand and growing response times in the private ambulance system, officials said.

“By adding this dedicated unit to the system, there will be an additional resource and the opportunity to improve ambulance response across the system, with a strong focus on faster response to the most critical calls in the Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue service area,” Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue said, noting Medic 21 offers 24-hour transport that's staffed with paramedic and EMT firefighters.

Medic 21 will be another ambulance resource as the service area is also under contract with AMR for Clark County EMS District 2.

There are two service zones with established response time commitments from the ambulance provider.

One service zone -- roughly south of 179^th Street and the City of Battle Ground -- requires an ambulance to be on scene in under 10 minutes 90% of the time. The rest of the service area has a contractual commitment for ambulances to be on scene in under 20 minutes 90% of the time, Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Mike Jackson told KOIN 6 News on Friday.

“These commitments have been challenging for the existing ambulance system to consistently meet at times,” Jackson said. “This unit will allow most of those high-priority calls to have a response time much closer to 10 minutes consistently.”

The new ambulance system comes after voters approved an EMS levy, which increased the number of paramedics for advanced life support capabilities.

“The existing ambulance system is somewhat unique in that it is not supported or subsidized with tax dollars,” Jackson explained. “Our EMS Levy that passed, allowed us the opportunity to provide this service enhancement in our District (La Center, Ridgefield, Woodland, the Cowlitz Indian Reservation, and surrounding areas of unincorporated Clark County).”

According to the assistant chief, the levy allowed the department to maintain a staffing level that is more consistent with other suburban areas in the county.

With help from the levy, the department hired an additional 27 staff members, which allowed them to add assigned paramedics to each station on each shift.

"This milestone was made possible by your support of our EMS levy, which allowed us to increase staffing and expand our services," the department said in a Facebook post announcing the new ambulance, which was donated by the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation. "Together, we are ensuring better care and faster response times for our community."