WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – This past week the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services announced that Lead Mines Rescue Squad’s grant application for a new ambulance had been approved and that the squad would be awarded $156,632.
In total, the grant award will provide funding for 80% of the total cost of a new ambulance and the Wythe County Board of Supervisors has agreed to cover the remaining amount, which is estimated to be $39,158.
The grant application was prepared and submitted by Wythe County staff on behalf of Lead Mines Rescue Squad and will replace a 2006 model vehicle that has a 1991 refurbished box.
“We’re very appreciative of the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund for providing us with this grant, as well as the county for their assistance. We strive to provide the very best service possible to the citizens and this new ambulance will be a huge help in accomplishing this goal,” said Lead Mines Rescue Squad Captain Sam Alley.
“Grants play an important role in assisting emergency services operations by providing critical funding needed for the county’s first responder agencies,” said Wythe County grant coordinator Jeremy Farley, adding, “Over the past two years alone, the county has secured $541,718 just from the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund. This money is used to purchase everything from radios for first responders to replacing worn out ambulances as was the case with this most recent announcement.”
As part of the grant agreement, Lead Mines Rescue Squad must make the vehicle “available for service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
Additionally, the ambulance will have a sticker stating, “Funding was made possible by a grant from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, Virginia Department of Health.”
Lead Mines Rescue Squad covers roughly 10,000 citizens and 288 square miles of the county. Last year, the squad responded to 880 calls, the vast majority of which required advanced life support services.
In April the county helped Wythe County Rescue Squad secure $198,925 from the Virginia Department of Health for a new ambulance and in the summer of 2015, the county assisted Lead Mines Rescue Squad in obtaining funding for an ambulance.
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