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The Community Ambulance Service of Western Sanders County, also known as Noxon Ambulance, started its service in 1971 as a basic life support, BLS, service.

"We serve the communities of Heron, Noxon and Trout Creek," said Teri Burt with the ambulance service. That includes the Montana-Idaho state line to mile marker 33.5 on Highway 200 and on Highway 56 to the county line. The area goes up to 673 Blue slide Road, Burt added. She said they have one ambulance stationed at the Trout Creek fire hall, one at the Noxon EMS building, and one in the process of being equipped to be stationed at the Heron Fire Department.

"We have awesome folks made up of two advanced emergency medical technicians (AEMTs), six EMTs, three drivers, a secretary and a treasurer," Burt said of the organization. "Our members' individual experience varies from 2 years to 30 years. Our responders are spread throughout the three communities. Most of them have jump bags (emergency kits), oxygen, and automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, and are able to respond directly to the scene to assess, provide immediate care, make critical transport decisions and transport once the ambulance arrives. We transport to three different hospitals: Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains, the Libby hospital, and the Sandpoint hospital. Our medical director is Dr. John Aumiller."

Burt said their biggest challenge is their number of responders. "We need more folks in the community to take the training and join us. Although our call volume is lower than the other three county ambulances services, we still need to be available the same amount of time: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. A lot of our members hold full time jobs. Their availability is contingent on their regular work schedules."

Burt said their biggest need is more volunteers. "More responders is our current need. Due to the rural nature of our area, pre-hospital care is critical to the positive outcome for the people experiencing a medical emergency," she noted. "People need to step up and join the EMS teams." That would lessen the load for those already serving in the departments. "People need to ask themselves, who will respond to an emergency in my community, if not me? Please consider joining us in providing these emergency services," Burt said.

Offering First Aid/CPR training to the community has been in practice in the past and renewing those options is in their plans, Burt said. They will be on the schedule for adult education courses offered at the Noxon School, this next session, she added. "First aid training is free. People pay the American Heart Association $21.95 for their card when they complete the course. There is a small fee of $5 to the training facility for consumable supplies. We encourage people to take the courses for their own personal needs and to be able to help others in an emergency situation where the ambulance might take a while to respond," Burt said.

The ambulance is truly a community effort. "Some of the local companies such as Avista have trained staff as first responders," Burt expressed. "The Forest Service has been helpful as well, and the Noxon School has been great about allowing staff members who are on the ambulance to leave work to go on a call."

Burt concluded by saying that Noxon Ambulance is providing an EMT class starting on January 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. This will be at the Noxon EMS building. "If someone only wants to be a driver, the ambulance will provide training for that as well. We also encourage 17-year-old students to take the class and join our junior EMS program. For more information, call (406) 847-2433.