North Lyon County Fire Protection District will receive $330,000 toward the purchase of a new ambulance through Lyon County’s Rural Health Transformation Program.
The Lyon County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the subaward agreement Oct. 1 as part of the county’s broader $4.29 million rural health grant program.
Emergency Management and Government Affairs Director Taylor Allison told commissioners the North Lyon award will be used specifically for the ambulance purchase. Unlike some of the other fire district agreements approved at the meeting, North Lyon did not include funding for new EMT or paramedic positions in its request.
The grant is intended to strengthen emergency medical services in rural parts of Lyon County, where fire districts often cover large geographic areas and serve communities that may be far from hospitals and other medical facilities.
North Lyon Fire provides fire protection and emergency medical response in Fernley and the surrounding area. A new ambulance will add to the district’s ability to respond to medical calls and transport patients when needed.
The North Lyon award was one of several rural emergency medical service investments approved by commissioners during the meeting.
Mason Valley Fire Protection District was approved for $420,000 to support the purchase of an ambulance and EMT or paramedic personnel. Smith Valley Fire Protection District was also approved for ambulance and personnel funding under the same program.
The larger Rural Health Transformation Program grant was previously approved by commissioners in September and is designed to support a range of emergency medical service and human services improvements throughout the county.
In addition to the fire district subawards, commissioners approved a contract with Public Consulting Group for up to $296,471 to review Lyon County EMS and Human Services billing practices.
County officials said the consulting work will examine existing revenue streams, identify funding sources that may not currently be fully used and make recommendations for improving billing and revenue collection.
The combination of equipment purchases, staffing support and financial review is part of a broader effort to improve the long-term stability of rural emergency medical services.
For North Lyon Fire, the immediate result is straightforward: funding for another ambulance.
The subaward runs through Aug. 30, 2027, and is subject to federal, state and county grant requirements.
Comment
Comments