Senator Ken Yager announced a $1.3 million grant for the Clay County EMS Monday night.
Clay County officials said the grant funds would go to two new ambulances and life saving equipment. The county applied for the grant funding twice before. Yager said he realized the need after a conversation with Clay County Mayor Dale Reagan and pushed for the funds in the Senate Finance Committee.
“I told them about my situation and they all supported our efforts to amend the budget, in the final weeks of the legislature, to include this money for Clay County,” Yager said. “So I appreciate the support I got from the legislature, the chair of the finance committee to be able to do it.”
Right now, the county has just two ambulances. Yager said having more units and newer equipment will make emergency response more effective throughout Clay County.
“With just two ambulances in service, to serve even a county the size of Clay County, really puts a stretch on the resources,” Yager said. “To have an ambulance making a non-emergency run in the northern part of the county and maybe having a big emergency in the southern part of the county where you need ambulances.”
County officials said the addition of new ambulances and equipment could significantly improve response times.
