PO Box 37 | Bridgewater, SD 57319

Ambulance Service

The Bridgewater Volunteer Ambulance Service was established in 1972 with an all volunteer staff. Twenty-five area businessmen and farmers under the medical direction of Dr. Lonnie Waltner took a 22 hour course of training. The first ambulance purchased was a 1972 Red CE109 with a Chevrolet Suburban Chassis for $11,000.00 in March 1972. Our recorded budget for that year was $4,000.00.

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The Bridgewater Area Community Ambulance was established by the County of McCook and the City Council of Bridgewater by ordinance in May of 1978. The funding was provided by the City of Bridgewater and McCook County, in conjunction with Hanson and Davison Counties. The first recorded number of calls was in 1979 with 49 calls. In 1981, 72 calls were recorded. A pager system was established in 1980, with the sending unit placed at the Diamond Care Nursing Home. This was replaced in 1998 with the 911 system.

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Our ambulance vehicle was replaced in June 1988 with a new Ford E350 one ton. A $7000.00 budget was established from McCook County, with the City of Bridgewater picking up the remainder of the expenses. It was then contracted to bill the counties of Hanson and Davison when the ambulance was utilized in their counties on a per call basis. In 1997 our staff consisted of 4 EMT’s and 3 drivers. We applied and ran as a “Hardship Case”. This would allow us to take a run with just 1 EMT and 1 driver until 2004 when a longtime EMT passed away and another EMT wanting to retire. On June 15, 2004, the ambulance service shut down. The community made phone calls, ran newspaper ads and spread the word that it needed EMT’s. Thirteen people volunteered to train for the EMT-B test. On February 3, 2005, we were back up and running with 9 EMT’s and 3 drivers and with Dr. Teri Behl, PA as our medical director. We had 51 calls that year.

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In June of 2008 a 2002 Ford E350 Road Rescue “CE” Supermedic Type III ambulance was purchased for $45,000.00.

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For Billing Inquiries Only call City Finance Office – 605-729-2690