EMS Change
I understand what you are saying. I have watched the rural EMS service change over the last 40 years. I can remember as a young boy, my dad joined the local volunteer (all volunteer) squad back in the mid 70's.
It was basically a bunch of local citizens (all men back then) that volunteered their time to get EMT-B certified and respond to the needs of the community. I remember the first few times he took me to the "rescue hut" as it was called back then how amazed I was at all the Equipment the squad had. 3 Ambulances, Transport vehicles, Heavy rescue equipment, jaws of life, dive boat. For an 8 or 9 year old boy. this was better than a trip to Disney land.
Fast forward 10 or 11 years and I too joined up and passed the EMT-B course. This was before the "Tech" schools offered it and you got your training from instructors on the weekends at one of the squads conducting the training. After a few years, the counties started pushing for a paid system. So it was the beginning of the end of our counties Rescue Squad system as well.
Never really understood it. Was probably way political and above my pay grade. However, I can say that through out my dads years as well as myself's, no emergency calls or medical transports never went unanswered, and NO ONE EVER RECEIVED A BILL.
Sorry to hear it go.
Later,
Tiger Scan
