NEW GLARUS — Only in Wisconsin Giving, the charitable giving arm of the New Glarus Brewing Company, is providing a $20,000 grant to Sugar River Emergency Medical Services to enhance the new 911 collaboration serving the region.

This grant will help the department purchase a new cardiac monitor defibrillator for a brand-new ambulance due to go into service this summer.

“This is an exciting time both for our region and state and a real ability to show what happens when communities work together,” Sugar River EMS Chief Chris Backes said. “We think what we’ve built in partnership here is a model for what’s possible to improve rural emergency medical care.”

Sugar River EMS is a new collaboration between seven municipalities serving over 10,000 residents in northern Green and southern Dane Counties.

The department has three ambulances running from stations in Belleville and New Glarus. This summer, Sugar River EMS will add a fourth ambulance to go along with two rapid response vehicles, part of the department’s mission to get help to patients as quickly as possible, even in the most rural settings.

“Only in Wisconsin giving has taken great pride in providing grants to all the first responders in our area for many, many years. From police and EMS, to the volunteer firefighters in our area, ensuring folks in rural areas are covered is something that is very important to us,” said Scott May, President of Only in Wisconsin Giving.

“This incredible generosity from the Only in Wisconsin Giving reflects the value of community-based collaboration and smart, effectively delivered public services,” Sugar River EMS Deputy Chief Josh Wescott added. “These dollars will make a real difference in patient care and outcomes, and we couldn’t be more grateful for this grant from Only in Wisconsin Giving.”