Nodaway County Ambulance District celebrates 50 years

The Nodaway County Ambulance District is hosting an open house from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Wednesday, April 30, at district office, 103 Carefree Drive to celebrate the district’s 50th year in operation.

Refreshments and requested tours of the facilities will be provided for the event with the public being invited to attend.

The Nodaway County Ambulance District currently has 22 full-time employees providing 24-hour emergency services for Nodaway County, led by Director of Operations Jared McQueen and Deputy Director Justin Donavan. The district is governed by a six-member board of directors offering a supervisory role of emergency care for those in the county. Current board members are Chairman Herb Snodderly, Clearmont; Vice-Chairman Rick Allen, Barnard; Treasurer Carrie Sparks, Maryville; Secretary Pat Giesken, Ravenwood; Mary Beth Shipps and Jace Pine, both of Maryville. The board meets at 7 pm on the second Wednesday of every month. Currently, the district is funded with a ½¢ sales tax and a fee for service. The ambulance district is responsible for covering approximately 878 square miles with a call volume of 2,686 calls in 2024.

Began in 1975

Nodaway County Ambulance District began operations in 1975 staffed by volunteers operating out of temporary headquarters at the Regional Council of Governments office. Six board members including Gayle Bond, Everett Brown, Edmond McGary, Marshall Ford, John Shipley and Zella Mary Poage began serving in April 1975. In May 1975, a full-time employee was hired and the ambulance operated out of a building behind St. Francis Hospital with a call volume of 604 calls per year. Past directors of operation were Wally Anderson, Tom Spire, George Duff and Bill Florea. Florea, who served most recently as director prior to McQueen, worked for the district for 42 years.

With an overall increase in the call-volume, in August 1994 Nodaway County Ambulance District saw a need to provide a lower cost transportation service to Nodaway County citizens by starting Patient Assisted Transportation (PAT). This service offers wheelchair accessible transportation for senior citizens to get to and from medical appointments. The PAT service is still in operation today running 839 trips in 2024, including 86 evening and weekend trips covered by the Maryville Knights of Columbus volunteers. In January 1997, the ambulance district purchased the former O’Riley Construction building at 103 Carefree Drive in Maryville where it continues to operate today.

Training operations

After the purchase of the current building, there was enough space to organize an official training program. In 1998, a formal training department was established. The district’s first training manager was Paramedic Rick Maudlin, and the first assistant training manager was John Maxwell, both of whom continue to be employed by the district. As an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) worker shortage began to be noticed as call volumes increased around 2019 to 2020, the board approved the establishment of Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course instruction.

The first EMT course to be held at the ambulance district began in September 2023. Becky Mercer, training manager/lead instructor and Kim Campbell, paramedic program director, managed the direction of the paramedic course that led to five students earning their paramedic licenses. The first EMT class is currently being held with seven students recently passing their National Institute for Emergency Medical Training (NIEMT) skills testing. Patrick Greife has recently taken over the training manager position at the district and plans to continue offering paramedic, Basic EMT and Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) courses.

Rescue squads

The ambulance district is assisted by the volunteer rescue squads that offer first response and extrication services. They offer crucial support in emergency situations, including medical emergencies and accidents. Currently there are five rescue squads in Nodaway County.

• The Maryville Rescue Squad Unit 136 operated by volunteers of the Maryville Fire Department, was organized in April 1993. Their primary function is to provide extrication in and around the Maryville area covering 191.34 square miles.

• The Burlington Jct., Clearmont, Elmo and Skidmore Rescue Squad Unit 140 was established in March 1977. They respond to approximately 68 calls per year covering 322.04 square miles.

• The Hopkins Rescue Squad Unit 141 housed at the Union Township Fire Department began operation in July 1982 covering 130.09 square miles. They average 65 calls per year.

• The Ravenwood Rescue Squad Unit 142 was originally organized in 1988 but was closed in 1989. In 1998 Unit 142 came up with 15 volunteers to form the Platte Valley Rescue Squad including volunteers from Ravenwood and Parnell. They cover 94.79 square miles and responded to approximately 65 calls in 2022.

• The Tri-C Rescue Squad Unit 143 was established in April 2000. They first responded to emergency calls with the Tri-C Fire Department’s brush truck, but now have a rescue truck housed at the Tri-C fire department in Conception Jct. Unit 143 includes volunteers from the Conception, Clyde, Conception Jct., Barnard and Guilford area covering 137.7 square miles and averaging 72 calls per year.

As the call volume has drastically increased over the years, ambulance staffing and headquarters, as well as rescue squad volunteers have had to grow with the Nodaway County Ambulance District. To keep up with this growth, the ambulance district is currently considering the expansion of the existing building as more space is needed for additional sleeping quarters, office space and storage.