JCCF grant supports Midland Ambulance Service

     The Jones County Community Foundation (JCCF) is committed to supporting non-profits while improving health and quality of life for Jones County residents through its annual grant cycle. The Community Foundation made a grant to Midland Ambulance Service to help purchase a cardiac monitor that has advanced patient care throughout its territory.

     The JCCF board visited with Cindy Dirks and Brian Podhaski, volunteers with the ambulance service. “Having this monitor on board will allow us to provide a higher level of care for our patients and expedite care in some situations where time is crucial,” said Dirks, a 35-year member of the ambulance service in Wyoming.

     The new device monitors blood pressure, oxygen and heart rhythms. It is Bluetooth-capable and transmits electrocardiograms directly to hospitals prior to ambulance arrival, allowing more time to create a plan of care for patients. The recording function allows responders to focus on patient treatment, which is especially critical when there is only one responder in the back of the ambulance.

     The Midland Ambulance Service averages about 100 calls per year and has used its new monitor on almost every call since it was installed.

     “As a long-time volunteer with the ambulance service, I find it very rewarding,” said Dirks and Podhaski. “That being said, it is also time consuming and comes with an element of sacrifice. Ambulance calls are not scheduled and often come at inconvenient times of the day and night. You have to be willing to take it as it comes. It is a commitment to the community.”

     Volunteers raised enough money to purchase the $25,000 cardiac monitor through grant funding and an annual soup supper and silent auction. Equipment costs continue to rise.

     “Our service is funded by donations and whatever reimbursement we receive from patients’ insurance providers,” said Dirks. “Grants such as this one are vital for us to be able to purchase these expensive pieces of equipment.”

     The JCCF, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, receives funds each year from the Iowa Department of Economic Development County Endowment Program. The Community Foundation awards 75 percent of those funds as grants and maintains the other 25 percent in a permanent endowment with the income to be distributed in future years.

     For more information about the County Endowment Program or to learn how you can help support local non-profits through the power of endowment, visit dbqfoundation.org/jccf or contact Sherri Hunt, foundation coordinator, at 319-551-3402 or jccf@dbqfoundation.org.