Spring Green, Wisconsin
Thursday, October 5, 2023 | Vol. 4, No. 18 FREE, Single-Copy
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Community Calendar: Live music, farmers markets and more
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Lone Rock unveils new ambulance, area EMS say they're in need of volunteers
Alex Prochaska, Editorial Intern
The Village of Lone Rock recently bought a new ambulance that emergency medical service volunteers say was sorely-needed. The ambulance, purchased in August for $218,058.50, will serve not just Lone Rock, but assist with mutual aid in the surrounding townships of Buena Vista, Clyde, Ithaca and potentially beyond. Volunteers said despite boasting a new vehicle, Lone Rock EMS continues to be in need of volunteers. “Our old ambulance [was] 22 years old,” said Steven Morgenson, vice president of Lone Rock EMS and a trustee on Lone Rock’s village board. “[The old ambulance was] approaching the 100,000 mile mark. At that age things start to go wrong. We've had some electrical problems, some mechanical problems.” Pat Werner, a Lone Rock emergency medical technician (and the author’s grandfather), stressed the urgency of the new purchase. “We needed an ambulance, because if we would not have one they would either [have to] come from Spring Green, or Richland Center,” said Werner. “It all comes down to the time it takes to get a patient to the hospital.” Werner gave the example of a stroke
Photo by Alex Prochaska Lone Rock's new ambulance, soapy and shiny from being washed at the station. patient. “You should have them to a hospital within one hour, so they can get a shot to help coagulate their brain.” Morgenson said the new ambulance is owned by the Village of Lone Rock, which bought it and lends it to the Lone Rock Rescue Unit—a separate, selfgoverning entity. But funding did not come entirely from the Village. Morgenson said that Buena Vista and Clyde townships contributed towards
the ambulance as well. Chairman of the Town of Buena Vista Floyd Bartow said Buena Vista appropriates funds in their annual budget towards EMS. Most recently, Bartow said this September $5,000 was given to Lone Rock EMS and $2,000 to the Ithaca First Responders group. The details of local government can cause headaches, but there is another pain that area EMS suffers from: lack of volunteers.
“Everywhere in Wisconsin [has an EMT] shortage,” said Werner. “EMTs, on the whole, are getting older, and most of them are retired. There's new ones coming, but not fast enough anymore.” Currently, Werner says Lone Rock has five EMTs and three emergency medical responders—they are all volunteers, and five are retired. Werner said that if anybody wants to become an EMR or EMT, they can apply to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College. Classes are typically at night, and located in Richland Center, Fennimore or Dodgeville, depending on which has the most students. Werner says people can also volunteer as ambulance drivers after taking a one-day emergency vehicle operator course. “It's hard to get people to commit to this,” said Morgenson. “If people would like to get involved they can contact our Service Director Brandy Doch or myself.” Doch’s email is brandy11.ariss@gmail. com, and Morgenson’s is rocky61.sm@ gmail.com. Even with limited manpower, Lone Rock is putting their new ambulance to fast use. EMS volunteers had to delay being interviewed for this story because they were responding to an emergency
One Driftless Trail segment open, two others to open soon Barb Barzen, Driftless Area Land Conservancy Driftless Area Land Conservancy is excited to open two new segments of the Driftless Trail this fall, part of what will eventually be a 50+ mile pedestrianonly, public access trail through the northeastern quarter of Iowa County. This trail will offer a “quiet trail” experience deep into the hills and valleys of this landscape we all love, only 3% of which is public land.
A year ago, the Conservancy opened the Weaver Road Segment of the Driftless Trail, just north of Governor Dodge State Park. The one-mile trail starts at a high point with long distance vistas and descends into a valley with a pine relict on one side and rocky outcrops on the other. It offers a lot of variety in one short hike, and is particularly beautiful in the
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Photo by Barb Barzen The view from Phoebe Point on the Driftless Trail.
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