Humboldt ambulance tops Richardson County list for American Recovery funds
Richardson County hears from rescue squad, rural water
By News Channel Nebraska
FALLS CITY - Richardson County commissioners heard requests Tuesday for American Recovery funds for a Humboldt ambulance and to maintain the infrastructure of rural water district.
Humboldt City Councilman Larry Stauffer said there seems to be ample funds available in the county’s inheritance tax and ARPA funds to replace one of Humboldt’s two ambulances without impacting the budgets of Humboldt or the county.
Stauffer: “We’re asking on behalf of the western end of the county for support for an ambulance … When you have a loved one that is sitting there in need, every minute counts.”
Paramedic Cindy Eden has been employed by Humboldt to help manage the volunteer rescue service.
She said the ambulance, which serves 40 percent of the county's road miles and several villages, has been all-volunteer since 2018.
Eden: “It takes an hour and a half to run an average call, if you transport. It takes, depending upon what you do, at least an hour to document. So now you’re asking people to invest two and a half hours for every call. We average about 160 calls per year. That’s a lot of time people are donating to the community, which also then benefits the county.”
Commissioner Rick Karas says he places the Humboldt ambulance on the top of the list for ARPA funds and Board Chairman Dave Sickel said he understands the seriousness of functioning equipment.
Dean Stevens of Rural Water No. 2 also requested over $400,000 of the $1.7 million the county expects to receive.
He said rural water has improved living conditions and promoted development for 50 years, but after 50 years it’s infrastructure is getting outdated. He said 275 properties are served, including Indian Cave State Park, and said 73 will be added soon.
Steven said rural water is important to thousands of residents,v illages and farms and ARPA funds will help keep costs to customers down.
Commissioners said the county’s other rural water district, No. 1, applied for funds later and is asking only $20,000.