By Laura French
GEYSER, Mont. — A Montana EMS agency is working to raise enough money for a new permanent ambulance after its only ambulance was wrecked in a collision in October.
Geyser Emergency Services (GES) members and other first responders narrowly escaped injury after a vehicle drove past traffic blocks at a crash scene and rear-ended the rig, sending it into a ditch, according to KULR8. GES EMT Pat Antonich said she, her crew and the original crash victim got out of the way just seconds before the collision on Oct. 17.
After the crash, GES relied on other nearby agencies to help with medical calls in their area, which posed challenges due to the distance of other EMS stations from Geyser. Eventually, GES received a loaner rig from Apgar Ambulance to continue transporting patients.
Now, the agency is focused on raising enough money to purchase a new permanent ambulance. The agency needs at least $200,000 to cover the costs of a new rig, and has so far received about $40,000 in donations.
Restricted from traditional in-person fundraisers due to COVID-19, GES members have worked together to make phone calls around the community and posts on social media asking that checks be mailed to the agency. Officials noted that any donations to GES, a 501(c)(3) organization, are tax-deductible.
EMT Bruce Evans, a past fire chief in Geyser, told KULR8 that support from the community so far has been “huge,” with an “unbelievable” amount being donated within just two weeks of the fundraiser starting.