Northwest Iowa — This is National EMS Week. The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians says the week of recognition was established by Presidential proclamation in 1973, and is an annual celebration to recognize and appreciate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provided by Paramedics and EMTs in communities across the nation.
Between ambulance calls, we had a chance to visit with Lyon County Ambulance Director Amy Borman. She tells us that like many EMS crews in northwest Iowa, they are a little short-staffed. She says they have 12 members, three of which are drivers and nine of which are emergency medical technicians, so they can drive the ambulance or take care of patients.
She says that unsurprisingly, they were the busiest they’ve ever been in 2020. But, somewhat surprisingly, 2021 is shaping up to be an even busier year.
She says they take all types of calls.
Borman tells us they have three ambulances. She says they have enough EMTs and drivers to staff one of them all the time, but two becomes a little more of a question, and if they ever need all three out at once, it’s more of a challenge to find responders who are available. Sometimes they borrow a firefighter from the Rock Rapids Fire Department for a driver. And if all three would be out and a call would come in, Lester Rescue or another squad may have to take the call.
She says the situation is not unique, and almost all ambulance services in northwest Iowa face the same issues. She says if you would want to try to help by becoming an EMT, they would love to have you.
She reminds people that some nights you might get little sleep if you’re on duty and it’s busy, but it’s a very rewarding thing to do for your community, and the support is “awesome.”
We at KIWA would like to add our support for all the EMS providers in the area. And if you’d like to help out, they’re always looking for more help. Just contact your local ambulance service. If you don’t know who to call, you can always call your local sheriff’s office’s non-emergency number and they can put you in contact with the right person for your area.
