Fire and emergency reports for week ending Aug. 23

MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commissioners received reports from the ambulance and fire department services on Monday, Aug. 25. The finalization of the American Medical Response (AMR) contract for 2026 was put on hold until Commissioner Jason Hightower was present.

Fire Chief Randy Hegwald reported that there were 10 total calls for the week ending Aug. 23 That brings the yearly total to 412 calls. He said the fire department was 50 calls ahead of where it was at the same time last year.

Hegwald brought up the money that he asked about for training last week. He said that he had found that in the budget and was asking permission to spend it. He explained that the fire department had purchased about $2,300 in books and then the testing will be around another $1,000. 

County Clerk Danielle Souza explained that previous county clerk David Lamb had set up this EMS line item for firefighters and law enforcement that want to be emergency (EMT) certified or have any sort of first aid medical response training. She said that it had not been used for several years other than on some automatic electronic defibrillator (AED) equipment. 

Souza said there was $12,000 in that fund. The commissioners approved Hegwald to spend up to  $2,300 out of commodities and $1,000 from the contractual funds.

Commissioners Jim Johnson and Alison Hamilton told AMR operations manager Dawn Brooks that they would like to postpone discussion of the 2026 AMR contract until Hightower was available. 

But then they decided to go into executive session with Brooks, AMR representative Jason Jenkins, and County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta for 10 minutes to discuss trade secrets. 

Brooks gave the weekly report.

The report showed the month to date ambulance reports from Aug. 1 through Aug. 24. 

There have been a total of 130 calls resulting in 59 transports. The average response time is 17 minutes 7 seconds. The calls by city were:

• Blue Mound, 15 calls, 5 transports

• Centerville, 6 calls, 2 transport

• Fulton, 0 calls, 0 transports

• Greeley, 0 calls, 0 transports

• La Cygne, 24 calls, 11 transports 

• Fontana, 1 call, 0 transports

• Lane, 2 calls, 1 transport

• Linn Valley, 6 calls, 3 transports

• Mapleton, 1 call, 1 transport

• Rich Hill, 0 calls, 0 transports

• Mound City, 34 calls, 12 transports

• Parker, 8 calls, 3 transports

• Pleasanton 26 calls, 18 transports

• Prescott, 7 calls, 3 transports

Response numbers and times for this time period by Commission Districts are:

District 1 - 33 responses, 17 transports, 14 minutes 53 seconds average response time

District 2 – 40 responses, 19 transports, 15 minutes 29 seconds average response time 

District 3 – 60 responses, 23 transports, 19 minutes 35 seconds average response time