BENNINGTON
FIRE DEPT.
Chief Mark Whitesell - June 1981 |
Providing
high-quality emergency medical service to the Bennington
community since 1975
THE PAST
Began with a fire department van that had
a used cot and home-made cabinets
put inside and a red light put on the top.
In 1979, the Bennington community raised nearly $30,000 for the purchase of
a new ambulance; still in use in 2002.
THE AREA
Emergency medical service is provided to 1750 residents of the City of
Bennington
and the surrounding rural area. That includes a total of 196
square miles.
The following townships are included: all of Bennington,
Buckeye, Richland,
Lincoln and Ottawa Townships, about half of Concord
Township and four sections
in Culver Township.
The area extends from the Saline County Line north 12
miles to Limestone
Road (at the widest) and from the Dickinson County Line
west 19 miles to
110th Road (at the widest point).
THE SYSTEM
For help in any emergency, please call
911. Your call will go into the
dispatch center in the Sheriff’s Office
in Minneapolis. With the ‘enhanced’
911 system, the equipment will
display your name, address and phone
number, even before you say a word. EMS
attendants are notified on the ‘fire
line’ as well as by portable
radio. Mutual aid agreements are in place with
the Minneapolis Ambulance Service
and with Salina Fire/EMS, which means
that assistance will be provided upon
request.
THE REGULATIONS
The
Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services regulates all units and
agencies
that provide EMS transportation in Kansas. The same regulations
apply to all
ambulances services in Kansas regardless of whether they are
volunteer or
full-time paid staff. All ambulances are inspected, as well as the
equipment
they carry. Protocols, procedures and documentation have
become increasingly
scrutinized lately.
EMS attendants complete extensive
initial training and must pass State and
National examinations before they
are certified. They must also complete
continuing education to renew their
certification. The continuing education
is provided by three local Training
Officers. Dr. Woodall also helps with the
training as well as approving protocols
and procedures.
THE EQUIPMENT
Currently we have two fully equipped vehicles for use;
a 2000 Ford modular and a 2003 Ford Medtec
THE FUNDS
Bennington Ambulance Service has always
had a high degree of public
support. Donations and memorials have been a big
part of the financial
support for many years. Donations and memorials are
supplemented by
reimbursement of claims submitted to insurance and medicare.
However,
the greatest amount of funds today comes from the mill levy that
was begun
in 1995 by the Ottawa County Commissioners. The property tax
levy is currently
at about 1.75 mills. This dependable source of revenue has
allowed the new
garage to be built and a new ambulance to be bought without
resorting to fund-raising.
In 2003 a new Ford Medtec ambulance was added to the EMS.
| Current attendants | Starting year |
| Jim McClain | 1975 |
| Judy Swagerty | 1981 |
| Saundra Long | 1986 |
| Bob N. Boss | 1994 |
| Twila Modrell | 1995 |
| Janet Beemer | 1996 |
| Kathy Everhart | 2001 |
| Mindy Lovendahl | 2001 |
| Jason Lovendahl | 2002 |
| Ruth Coleman | 2003 |
| Tony Gellinger | 2003 |
| Tony Swetson | 2003 |
| Joyce Webb | 2005 |
| Chris Bell | 2005 |
| Brandon Cochran | 2005 |
| Tom Ehlers | 2006 |
| Robert Hagmeier | 2006 |
| Kimmie Summers | 2006 |
| Previous attendants | Starting year |
| Ray Boster | 1975 |
| Dale Tasker | 1975 |
| Kent Boster | 1978 |
| Jerry Spears | 1980 |
| Elvin Boss | 1980 |
| Bill Stenfors | 1980 |
| Anita Breeden | 1981 |
| Sue Cavender | 1981 |
| Carol Powell | 1981 |
| Linda Garst | 1986 |
| Lezlie Hensley | 1986 |
| Sara Rupp | 1986 |
| Nancie Brummer | 1989 |
| Kim Zeigler | 1989 |
| Devin Francis | 1991 |
| Tim Bulleigh | 1994 |
| Kelly Cochran | 1994 |
| Lisa Weis | 1994 |
| Dennis Saenger | 1995 |
| Jerry Preston | 1997 |
| Mark Ingelin | 1999 |
| Paula Serrien | 1999 |
| Kent Zeigler | 1999 |
| Vanessa Everhart | 2001 |
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June, 2004 | |
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