The push to build a new emergency services facility in Hospers received a major boost this week.
The Hospers EMS Fundraising Committee announced that Orange City Area Health System has committed $75,000 toward the community’s $2.8 million capital campaign. The pledge will be paid over three years at $25,000 annually.
According to fundraising committee chair Mandy Boersma, the dream of constructing a new facility for the Hospers Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services Department has been in discussion for more than a decade.
“This new 7-bay building, housing the fire and ambulance personnel, will be a vast improvement over what we have now,” Boersma said. “We have over $2 million committed to our project so far, by County and City support and private donations, including this generous contribution by Orange City Area Health System.”
The planned facility would provide updated space for both fire and ambulance personnel, replacing infrastructure that local leaders say no longer meets current needs.
The partnership between Hospers EMS and Orange City Area Health System extends well beyond the financial contribution. The health system operates a family medicine clinic in Hospers and maintains an affiliation agreement with the local EMS service.
Krysten Haan, Paramedic and EMS Manager with Orange City Area Health System, says the hospital provides ongoing operational support.
“We assist with their Continuous Quality Improvement plan, provide monthly trainings, offer purchasing of supplies through our materials management, and provide advanced-level services,” Haan explained.
Boersma says that support is critical to the community’s emergency response system.
“OCAHS has been a vital part of our team,” she said, “not only through providing medical attention with ER and hospital services, but also support to our team members via paramedic-assists and mental health needs when necessary.”
