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Labor shortage triggers long wait times for ambulances in rural America

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Labor shortage triggers long wait times for ambulances in rural America

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A labor scarcity is placing folks’s lives in danger in rural areas. The truth is, the Nationwide Affiliation of Emergency Medical Technicians warns that its groups are in disaster.   

Ambulance providers are having a tough time discovering certified staffers, and it’s additionally robust for these counting on volunteers.  

In Mountain Lake, Minnesota, the volunteer EMS service will get wherever from just a few calls a day to some per week. The closest hospital is 11 miles away, so having an ambulance able to go can imply the distinction between life and loss of life. 

Mountain Lake, Minnesota, is a city of about 2,000 folks and residents describe the ambiance as just like the fictional Mayberry from “The Andy Griffith Present.”

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Mountain Lake is dwelling to simply over 2,000 folks.

“It’s only a good, quiet little city,” Emily Kunkell, the native ambulance director, mentioned. “My actual job is accounting.”  

Kunkell mentioned she’ll make the 20-minute drive to St. James for her day job, the place she additionally volunteers for its EMS service. “It’s laborious to get folks to need to quit their very own free time to volunteer to do one thing.”

Allen O’Bannon has been volunteering for Mountain Lake EMS for over 40 years. He was injured in an industrial accident that left him with chemical burns over 20% of his physique. It felt like an extended drive from the small city to Rochester, Minnesota, the place he acquired care – and that’s when he determined he wished to present again. However, he noticed the volunteer scarcity getting worse. 

“Again then, there was much more folks that lived on the town that would break free,” O’Bannon mentioned. “Not as many individuals work on the town, there aren’t as many roles on the town.”

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The state of Minnesota requires every EMS to have two medically skilled personnel on name 24/7, and that’s gotten robust.

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“It’s generally laborious to fill the schedule as a result of lots of people don’t work on the town,” Kunkell mentioned – and lots of rural cities have needed to take care of the flight of jobs associated to well being care. 

The Nationwide Affiliation of Emergency Medical Technicians warned that the cities might see a domino impact.  

The EMT association warns rural America will struggle as a result of the labor shortage in bigger cities. 

The EMT affiliation warns rural America will battle because of the labor scarcity in larger cities. 

“If the agricultural areas begin to collapse in well being care, which it’s in sure areas, that has an impact on in all places else in well being care,” David Edgar of the Nationwide Affiliation of Emergency Medical Technicians board of administrators Area III mentioned. 

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Edgar can be serving because the assistant EMS chief in West Des Moines, Iowa, which has used staff, not volunteers. Town of almost 66,000 folks can’t discover sufficient employees for its seven ambulances.    

Mountain Lake EMS receives some money from the city, but its EMTs volunteer their hours. 

Mountain Lake EMS receives some cash from town, however its EMTs volunteer their hours. 

“Now we have now 5 ambulances, which suggests these rural hospitals the place we might exit and assist switch these sufferers in, we have now much less skill to try this,” Edgar mentioned. “It’s a recipe that is setting as much as actually be a collapse of the system when you possibly can’t have ambulance response for an space, or it takes, , 30 or 40 minutes to get an ambulance there.”

The EMT affiliation is asking Congress to increase Medicare and Medicaid funding for ambulances.   

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In 2022, rural nonprofit and public EMS companies acquired some $7.5 million for recruitment, retention, schooling and gear – and the affiliation is asking for $20 million subsequent 12 months.   

The affiliation additionally warned that many paramedic or EMT job listings discovered on-line are for hospitals attempting to handle the nursing scarcity. This has been an actual challenge for paramedics, since many want to work a extra regular schedule within the hospital as an alternative of the unpredictable schedule on an ambulance.  

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South Dakota

Obituary for Emily Isabella Eirinberg at Miller Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory

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Obituary for Emily Isabella Eirinberg at Miller Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory


Emily Eirinberg, a bright light in the lives of everyone she touched, passed away Monday, February 3, 2025, in Sioux Falls, SD. She was 23. Memorial Services will be 1100 am Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 2109 S. 5th Avenue in Sioux Falls. The visitation will



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Wisconsin

Northeast Wisconsin prepares for weekend snowstorm, officials readying trails, plows

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Northeast Wisconsin prepares for weekend snowstorm, officials readying trails, plows


BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – Preparations have begun for the snowstorm expected to hit northeast Wisconsin this weekend.

The people at the Brown County Highway Department spent Friday making sure their equipment is ready to go for when the flakes begin to fly. They’ll also send out some of their trucks to pre-treat the roads with brine.

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“That helps when the snow comes down preventing it from welding to the pavement as traffic is driving on it,” said Brown County Highway Department operations manager Mike Piacenti. “It makes it easier for us to get it up at the end of the storm.”

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Piacenti said that they have about 44 trucks out at any given time when they have a snowstorm like the one expected for Saturday. He said right now the drivers are on standby waiting for the call to come into work once it begins to snow.

“We finally have a storm that we get to plow instead of just salt,” he said. “I think the guys are looking forward to pushing some snow instead of just going out there and dropping salt.”

While Piacenti’s team mans the big plows, people all over Northeast Wisconsin will likely have to do some snow removal of their own this weekend. For many, that means a trip to the hardware store to grab a new shovel or salt for their driveways.

“Either they need a new shovel because it wasn’t very good or because it’s broken,” said Katy Martin, the owner of Martin Hardware in Green Bay. “And then everybody needs salt.”

Martin added that in the days leading up to a snowstorm, they see extra customers come in for snow removal equipment. They also offer snowblower repairs which people utilize ahead of snowstorms.

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However, it’s not all hard work during a snowstorm. Local park department officials say they look forward to snow falls because of the winter recreation opportunities.

The Brown County Parks Department’s cross-country skiing and snowshoeing have been opened trails this week, but they’re not in great condition, which is why they’re looking forward to snow, especially in a winter that hasn’t had much.

“Just getting snow for tomorrow is a good sign for things to come,” said Jason Petrella, the program and natural resources manager for the Brown County Parks Department.

Petrella said that significant snow could dramatically improve the trail quality. His staff spent Friday clearing debris from the trails and will spend Saturday grooming the trails even as it snows.

“We would prefer if people maybe stayed off until we’re done, it just gives that snow time to firm up that base,” said Petrella. “If you ski too soon you can ruin the base.”

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He said that those wanting to cross country ski should come on Sunday after the snowstorm. Brown County offers snowshoe rentals at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve and snowshoe, cross country skiing, and fat tire bike rentals for the trails near the NEW Zoo and Adventure Park.

Petrella reminds people to buy a trail pass before they head out. That money helps the county maintain the trails and offer equipment rentals.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton.

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'Tough decisions' in store for 'sanctuary' cities after Bondi turns off federal funding spigot

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'Tough decisions' in store for 'sanctuary' cities after Bondi turns off federal funding spigot

With Attorney General Pam Bondi ordering a pause on federal funds for so-called “sanctuary cities,” Fox News Digital asked leaders of both parties in states likely to be affected their thoughts, and whether they believe their cities can handle the dearth of funding.

Bondi also directed the DOJ probe instances of jurisdictions that are impeding law enforcement, and that they be prosecuted when necessary. 

In Pennsylvania, at least two major cities have enacted sanctuary policies, while leaders in a third have signaled opposition to working with federal immigration authorities.

Philadelphia notably announced its new paradigm when then-Mayor Jim Kenney videotaped himself dancing in his office and singing, “We are a sanctuary city” after a judge ruled in the city’s favor on enacting such policies. The video went viral. 

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The Philadelphia skyline (Getty Images)

A representative for current Mayor Cherelle Parker declined comment on Bondi’s action when reached Thursday.

Lancaster, a blue dot in Amish country’s sea of red, also approved sanctuary city status – while Republicans at the county level passed an ordinance ensuring cooperation with the feds.

While Pittsburgh is not formally a sanctuary city, Democratic Mayor Ed Gainey recently announced: “I am not going to be working with ICE,” after border czar Tom Homan took the reins in Washington.

Democrats hold a slim, one-seat majority in the state House and the GOP controls the Senate, with Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro leading the executive branch.

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House Minority Leader Jesse Topper, R-Bedford, said in a Thursday interview that it is the position of the GOP caucus to support the law.

“If these municipalities are not upholding the law, then I would expect there to be consequences, and I support that,” Topper said.

Asked what he would say if city leaders sought assistance from him, he would tell them they would have to enforce the law if they expect federal help – and that he and other lawmakers always examine closely all budget requests, whether they be from Philadelphia or elsewhere.

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Topper added that Pennsylvanians showed their support for Bondi’s type of decisions when they elected Sen. David McCormick and President Donald Trump.

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State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Allentown, said Bondi is totally within her rights to give cities this ultimatum.

“I can’t imagine that losing that funding would be easy to manage for Philadelphia and imagine that they’re going to have some tough decisions to make,” said Coleman, who chairs the state’s panel on government operations.

Sen. Doug Mastriano – the 2022 GOP nominee for governor – said failed sanctuary city policies “put illegals ahead of our citizens.”

“Instead of admitting failure, the city leaders as well as our governor will double down and launch lawsuits for them to continue to put illegals ahead of our people,” said Mastriano, R-Gettysburg.

Meanwhile, Shapiro said he supports Trump’s efforts to get “criminals who are here illegally out of our communities – I want to see that happen.”

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“I don’t want people who are breaking the law in our communities who are wreaking havoc on our communities or claiming lives in our communities to be here,” he added, though he did not directly address Bondi’s order.

Across the state line, New York leaders were bracing for potential action against the sanctuary state and cities like Albany and New York City.

House Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, was asked about Bondi’s order but did not respond by press time.

But Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara, said Bondi is “doing exactly” what Trump promised.

“For far too long, the Biden​ administration, aided and abetted by Kathy Hochul and New York Democrats, pretended to care about public safety while they did nothing about the ​migrant crisis​ in our backyards and​ continued to shovel taxpayer dollars to​ illegal migrants,” Ortt said, adding that Democrats have been ignoring Republicans and constituents’ calls to end such policies.

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State Sen. Steve Chan, R-Bensonhurst, one of few minority-party officials in New York City, said he welcomes action against his hometown.

“I don’t blame the Trump administration at all. It’s called fiscal responsibility and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent in the right place,” Chan said.

“There’s a whole long list of more important issues that need funding – we have our own needy, our own homeless, our own veterans, our own victims of disasters, etc. I’d be very grateful to the Trump administration if they can fund New York City in regard to those issues instead of those here illegally.”

Boston is another city likely to be hit with a Bondi withholding order. Mayor Michelle Wu has accepted an invitation to testify on the immigration matter before Congress.

Massachusetts writ-large has some sanctuary-type policies, including those stemming from its unique right-to-shelter law shepherded by former Gov. Michael Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee. Current Democratic Gov. Maura Healey has said Massachusetts is “not a sanctuary state.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to both Massachusetts Senate Leader Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, and House Minority Leader Brad Jones, R-Reading.

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New York City skyline (Getty)

In California, where several major municipalities enacted sanctuary policies, a spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested Bondi may have trouble moving forward with her order.

“Our state laws do not conflict with any federal law and courts have already ruled that attempting to freeze key grants over this issue is illegal,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo told Fox News Digital.

Newsom also met with Trump on Wednesday and told CNN he was confident the two political foes will have a “strong partnership moving forward.”

“Not specific commitments, but broad strokes,” Newsom said.

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As for Republicans in the Golden State, their state Senate leader said Bondi’s order shouldn’t be a shock to sanctuary cities there.

“Local jurisdictions enforcing unlawful sanctuary policies are now officially on notice,” Sen. Brian W. Jones of San Diego told Fox News Digital.

“Law enforcement should prioritize public safety, not cave to extreme, soft-on-crime policies that put our communities at risk.”

Jones also announced he would be filing legislation within a few weeks to “overhaul” California’s sanctuary state policies.

Jones’ bill will compel law enforcement to cooperate with ICE for violent criminal illegal immigrants, he said.

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Chicago is also likely to be a focus of Bondi’s order. Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker – a likely 2028 presidential hopeful – did not respond to a request for comment. 

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Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Jo Daviess, could not immediately be reached.

But in a separate statement Thursday, Pritzker responded to a lawsuit lodged by Bondi’s office in relation to the Land of Lincoln’s noncooperation with ICE.

“Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law. The bipartisan Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law by a Republican governor, has always been compliant with federal law and still is today,” Pritzker said.

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“Illinois will defend our laws that prioritize police resources for fighting crime while enabling state law enforcement to assist with arresting violent criminals.” 

Former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who preceded Prizker, enacted the TRUST Act, which prevents law enforcement from holding illegal immigrant prisoners without a court warrant.

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

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