Grants For Growth

SO JUST DO NOT DO THAT AT THIS POINT. RIGHT. WELL, COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE DEALING WITH EMT AND PARAMEDIC SHORTAGES. ALL OF THIS COMING SINCE THE PANDEMIC. AND NOW ONE COUNTY IN OUR AREA MAY HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS SHORTAGE. OUR LISA CRANE HAS THE STORY THAT YOULL ONLY SEE HERE ON WVTM 13. WHEN YOU NEED EMERGENCY MEDICAL HELP. THATS THE SOUND YOU WANT TO HEAR NOW, FOLKS ON THE EAST SIDE OF WINSTON COUNTY MAY NOT HAVE TO WAIT AS LONG TO GET THAT HELP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN ARLEY ADDISON CENTRAL AND HELICON HAVE CREATED A NONPROFIT AMBULANCE SERVICE. WINSTON COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD. ITLL SERVE AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE FOR PROFIT PRIVATE COMPANY THAT ALSO WORKS THE COUNTY. THE SQUADS NONPROFIT STATUS GIVES THEM SOME ADVANTAGES. WERE NOT IN THIS FOR THE MONEY WHATSOEVER. WERE WE BEING A NONPROFIT, WE CANT SHOW PROFIT AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO IT EITHER HAS TO GO BACK INTO OUR EQUIPMENT TO MAKE OUR EMPLOYEES LIVES BETTER OR IT GOES INTO BONUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT ALSO MEANS THEY CAN QUALIFY FOR GRANTS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT SALARIES AND EQUIPMENT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, IT CAN SAVE LIVES. I PERSONALLY DID CPR ON SOMEBODY FOR 55 MINUTES WAITING FOR AN AMBULANCE AT AND THE YOU KNOW, MY FIRE DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY, I HAVE A PARAMEDIC OR A COUPLE OF PARAMEDICS ON MY FIRE DEPARTMENT. WERE ALS CERTIFIED. BUT IT WAS FRUSTRATING TO US THAT WE COULDNT TRANSPORT IT. ITS ESTIMATED THE NEW SQUAD CAN CUT RESPONSE TIMES BY ABOUT A THIRD. THIS IS THE FIRST WINSTON COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD AMBULANCE. BUT WAKEFIELD HOPES TO EVENTUALLY HAVE AN ENTIRE FLEET. ITS A CREATIVE SOLUTION TO A NATIONAL PROBLEM THAT COULD SERVE AS A MODEL TO OTHER RURAL