DARLINGTON - A busy ambulance service that serves the greater Darlington area is seeking volunteer drivers and medics.
Rural Medical Ambulance Service "has logged a busy start to the New Year, averaging one emergency call every 22 hours," wrote Jason King, EMT and Darlington Chief of Police, in a news release Monday. "The busy start to 2013 has current volunteers realizing that more help is needed."
About 24 volunteers currently staff the two rigs operated by Rural Medical. Fifteen of the volunteers are EMTs and nine are drivers.
Two EMTs and one driver are scheduled to be on call at all times to ensure the primary rig is always staffed. The secondary rig is staffed by whoever hears the page and responds to the station.
Anyone interested in driving can start immediately and will be trained on the job, but those interested in becoming an EMT will need to first complete a 140-hour certification course. All costs associated with being a member of Rural Medical are covered by the service.
Rural Medical has a ride-along program for anyone who may not be sure whether volunteering on an ambulance is the right fit for them. There are no strings attached to the ride-along program.
Volunteers don't need to be residents of Darlington. They must reside within a four-minute response time to the station or be willing to stay somewhere in Darlington that meets that requirement during their shifts. Some current volunteers who don't live in Darlington simply stay at the station at 129 W. Louisa St. during their shifts. The station has sleeping space, a shower, TV lounge and a work room with a computer and Internet access.
For more information on becoming a Rural Medical volunteer, call the station at 608-776-EMTS and leave a message or visit darlingtonwi.gov for more details and application materials.
Rural Medical Ambulance Service "has logged a busy start to the New Year, averaging one emergency call every 22 hours," wrote Jason King, EMT and Darlington Chief of Police, in a news release Monday. "The busy start to 2013 has current volunteers realizing that more help is needed."
About 24 volunteers currently staff the two rigs operated by Rural Medical. Fifteen of the volunteers are EMTs and nine are drivers.
Two EMTs and one driver are scheduled to be on call at all times to ensure the primary rig is always staffed. The secondary rig is staffed by whoever hears the page and responds to the station.
Anyone interested in driving can start immediately and will be trained on the job, but those interested in becoming an EMT will need to first complete a 140-hour certification course. All costs associated with being a member of Rural Medical are covered by the service.
Rural Medical has a ride-along program for anyone who may not be sure whether volunteering on an ambulance is the right fit for them. There are no strings attached to the ride-along program.
Volunteers don't need to be residents of Darlington. They must reside within a four-minute response time to the station or be willing to stay somewhere in Darlington that meets that requirement during their shifts. Some current volunteers who don't live in Darlington simply stay at the station at 129 W. Louisa St. during their shifts. The station has sleeping space, a shower, TV lounge and a work room with a computer and Internet access.
For more information on becoming a Rural Medical volunteer, call the station at 608-776-EMTS and leave a message or visit darlingtonwi.gov for more details and application materials.