The Nodaway County Ambulance District hopes to improve emergency response times with its new van and integrated, county-wide mapping system.

Emergency responders previously relied on Google Maps and the plat book for address locations. Those resources were often inaccurate, with maps sometimes showing addresses a mile from the actual location. This affected response time when emergency personnel found themselves at the wrong place.

County Assessor Rex Wallace approached the ambulance board with a solution. Wallace suggested using the Integrity Computer Mapping System. The board voted to purchase the mapping system service from the county assessor for $5,000 a year. Services included the mapping software and new plat books. Staff began training on the new system July 27.

Midwest Data was awarded the bid for six new iPads for $4,121.94 and each ambulance will gain an iPad installed with the mapping system. The detailed system differentiates paved roads from dirt roads and provides cemetery locations, which ambulance staff said may be useful during Halloween.

In addition to the mapping system, the ambulance district board purchased a new patient assisted transport van (PAT) for $56,200.54. The PAT van takes patients to medical appointments. Citizens aged 60 and over may ride free to any appointment in the county. They may utilize the van for trips to St. Joseph or Clarinda up to six times a year for free. Additional trips outside the county incur a fee. Knights of Columbus members operate the van after regular business hours.

The new vehicle has many amenities. It can accommodate four wheelchairs at a time and it is less top heavy. The wheelchair lift is located in the back of the van, making it easier and safer to load patients.

“I really like the new van. It is much quieter and I can hear the patients speaking to me now. It has better driver visibility. It is a joy to drive. We have gotten a lot of good comments from our patients,” said Phil Lance, driver.

Lance is CPR and automatic external defibrillator trained. When not driving, he installs reflective 911 signs throughout the county. The signs help emergency personnel locate addresses and are free for county residents. Contact Lance at 660.582.3311 to receive a sign.

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