Kearney Hospital ambulance ready for Southwest Nebraska transfers
Good Samaritan Health Systems of Kearney has a new ambulance service based in McCook for patient transfer to and from Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.
Good Samaritan employs nine McCook-area paramedics and EMT's to man the ambulance for long-haul transports from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week.
The ambulance service requires referrals from physicians. Communication for the ambulance service is routed through Good Samaritan.
Dale Gibbs, director for Good Samaritan's emergency services, said he has been very pleased working with the City of McCook to get the ambulance service started. "The city was the push to get us here and into service," Gibbs said.
Gibbs said the service has a good relationship with the McCook Fire Department (which offers local ambulance service) and can back up that department if help is ever needed. The two organizations are also coordinating some training, he said.
Gibbs said Good Samaritan ambulance service is requested through physicians, and the service has the capacity to accept more calls.
Doctors may request the service by calling (800) 474-7911.
Gibbs said he is impressed by the crew of paramedics and EMT's manning the ambulance. "There is good rapport among employees," he said. "And I've heard nothing but good reports from patient contacts."
Employees are: Alan David and Raleigh Haas, paramedics; and Jennie Young, Kevin Darling, Diane Whitten, Becky Yost, Paul Younger, Jana Pfeffer and Marcia Owens, EMT's.