Letter to the Editor

AMBULANCE: BVA a strong foundation

Last week’s article in the Herald on the Boundary County Ambulance, the paramedics, EMTs, drivers and staff was a great read. It is good to recognize that organization and members performing this valuable service in such a professional and compassionate manner. A huge thank you to them all I doubt that any other rural ambulance service can meet their standard.

Such a successful organization as Boundary County Ambulance would not exist without a very strong foundation. That 50-year-old foundation should be recognized as well. The large number of Boundary County citizens who were volunteer EMTs, drivers, and support staff kept BVA (Boundary Volunteer Ambulance) serving the public 24/7, 365 days a year with little financial help for all of those 50 years.

The vision and efforts of the previous BVA Chief, Ken Baker, the EMTs, the drivers, staff and all of those past EMTs and volunteers as well as the BVA Board members are largely responsible for the service that we are so fortunate to have today. Baker hired the first paramedic and with the BVA Board approval helped pay a portion of that paramedics training in order to get a commitment to serve in Boundary County. He next hired the current Boundary County Ambulance chief as a paramedic. It was during this time period that the county began to significantly increase financial support to BVA. All of this contributed to the success of this service.

As a newcomer in this beautiful county in Far North Idaho and with limited knowledge of county history, it still appears to me that at one time or another half of the citizens of Boundary County served as BVA EMTs and volunteers and share some credit for the current Boundary County Ambulance success and can be proud of that fact. Thank you to them all!

Patrick Warkentin

Bonners Ferry