Only one ambulance available
— Photo by SARAH THOMAS Boundary Volunteer Ambulance driver and mechanic Michael Hamilton, left, and emergency medical technicians Denise McGinnis, Pam Hamilton, Becki Minden and Chris Peterson stand in front of a new four-wheel drive ambulance.
With an engine blown in one ambulance and injectors bad in another, Boundary Volunteer Ambulance is left with one vehicle to serve Boundary County.
“What we have done is pulled our north unit in town,” said Denise McGinnis, secretary for BVA. “There is no ambulance up at Hall Mountain anymore. If there is a call, I have to go in my own vehicle without proper equipment and wait for someone to come with an ambulance from town.”
A total of $8,367 was spent for a new motor for one unit, which was money the department was saving toward the purchase of a four-wheel drive ambulance. While in the process of fixing this ambulance, the injectors went out on another one.
“I am going to call, and we are going to try to purchase a unit this week, which will put us seriously in debt,” said McGinnis. “I spoke to the bank about getting a loan. We will have to make payments, which is hard when we aren’t guaranteed to get paid.”
A fully stocked ambulance will cost the department nearly $150,000.
Unable to leave the county with only one ambulance available, BVA has stopped doing transports to other hospitals. Transports are a major source of income for the private, non-profit organization.
“It is scary for us to only be left with one unit,” said McGinnis.
The county gives $8,000 to the group yearly, which doesn’t even cover the $14,000 yearly insurance payment.
BVA is asking for donations to help purchase a new ambulance as well as fixing the old.
They have received donations from J.B.’s Tire/Les Schwab, $500; E.T. Wireless, $100; and Bruce Berhman from the Moyie Springs Mud Bog $500.
To donate money, call the ambulance at 267-2604 or mail donations to P.O. Box 441, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 83805.