DUNCAN, Neb (KMTV) — A little over a year ago the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department found out that their long time partnership with the Columbus Fire Department would need to change.
Columbus FD, who had provided EMS services to the village, would require additional compensation to keep serving the area.
“We had an inter-local agreement with Columbus, and they came to us and wanted to change that agreement. We couldn’t agree on terms so we decided we would just do it ourselves for what would be cost effective for the district,” said Dustin Schaefer, Chief of the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department.
With a plan in place for their own EMS squad the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department started raising funds.
At first members of the department were worried that they might not make enough to get their squad up and running in time, but they say it wasn’t long before the community started to pitch in.
“It’s been a phenomenal outcome for how much we have been supported and for how much donations we have been able to get thus far,” said Erica Siemek, President of the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department.
With their initial round of fund raising the department was able to purchase an ambulance and begin training people to take over EMS duties.
But the EMS squad isn’t fully equipped just yet, and additional fund raising is needed to cover equipment like cardiac monitors and CPR equipment.
“We have an overall budget of $60,000 a year for EMS. We have so far spent $120,000 of that $60,000 so 200% and we have another $60,000 we are looking to spend. That’s why we are trying to raise money and ask for donations to get some of this equipment so we can get going,” said Schaefer.
