H.E.A.R.T. requests funds for extra ambulance

A spike in calls has led members of the Hartley Emergency Ambulance Rescue Team (H.E.A.R.T.) to ask for another set of wheels and space to house it.

Squad members Brian Myers, Candy Ruschmann and Pam Sease met with the city council Monday to request budgetary consideration in the coming fiscal year to help with unforeseen expenses. The ambulance team has seen calls increase by 25 percent each year for the past three years, Myers explained, which has necessitated a need for another used vehicle and an addition to the existing garage.

Myers noted H.E.A.R.T. has already logged nearly 300 calls this year. With an EMT shortage elsewhere in the area, he anticipated that number could grow to 350-400 calls in the coming years.

"It's getting bad," he said. "We can't do it with one ambulance."

The team's current ambulance was purchased in 2020 and already has 54,000 miles on it. Its predecessor was replaced and sold at 63,000 miles.

"We just need to be ready for the future," said Myers. "To do that, we need a second ambulance and a second bay to put it there."

Myers said there are two used ambulances currently available for purchase in O'Brien County. One in Sanborn is seemingly the best option and would run between $5,000 and $10,000, he anticipated.

The team would need to seek bids for the garage expansion. Myers said space is available to the west, and the addition would only need to be large enough to house the vehicle.

The second ambulance would be used primarily as a transport vehicle. H.E.A.R.T. frequently transports patients from local hospitals to other medical facilities, which is financially beneficial to its budget. However, doing so requires the fully-equipped truck to leave the area, which members would rather not do.

Cost to stock the second vehicle with medical equipment would be covered by grants, according to discussion. H.E.A.R.T. Director Rodney Ahrenstorff said the gear required inside transport vehicles is significantly less than the amount needed inside a fully equipped ambulance. The second vehicle will come with a power cot and power loader, Myers said.

Ruschmann noted the high volume of calls has H.E.A.R.T. constantly recruiting new members. Currently, the team has 14 people on its roster. That's extremely good compared to other teams in the area, but many members are ready to hang it up and make way for fresh blood.

Current members Darla Meyer, Ahrenstorff and Sease have collectively logged more than 100 years with H.E.A.R.T.

"There are just not enough volunteers to staff this stuff," Ruschmann said. "The trend that we're seeing here is a trend they're seeing all over the United States."