Nebraska
80% of Nebraska EMS agencies rely on volunteers to make sacrifice for rural communities
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — A Hickman woman’s story of waiting for an ambulance during a medical emergency has put a spotlight on rural emergency medical services across Nebraska.
Ronicka Schottel suffered a miscarriage Aug. 12 and waited more than half an hour for an ambulance — all while her mother repeatedly called 911.
But it’s not just a Hickman problem — or even just a Nebraska problem. Like the pandemic highlighted, healthcare problems are exacerbated in rural areas.
A 2024 report from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services shows 80% of EMS agencies are staffed exclusively with volunteers.
That’s forcing agencies across the state to grapple with how to recruit and retain talent willing to serve and sacrifice their own personal time.
“When I first moved to Linwood after I got married, several of the volunteers had asked me to join and I never did,” said Linwood Fire Chief Joel Cerny. I thought I was too busy. Then we had a small fire in our yard, and it was racing up the hill towards my barn full of straw. Volunteers came and put it out before it got to the barn and saved my barn. So I thought if all them guys took time off of their day to come help me, I should help them.”
That was 40 years ago — and Joel Cerny has been a volunteer firefighter/EMT ever since — serving the last 25 years as chief.
Linwood is located in Butler County, Nebraska, a small town just south of the Platte River registering around 100 residents as of the 2020 census.
Cerny said people often move to rural communities like his without realizing there’s not someone sitting at the station 24/7.
Getting someone certified to work fires is fairly straightforward, but EMT certification requires a months-long class, 180 hours and a difficult national registry test.
A 2024 Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services report showed there’s about 6,300 EMT licenses in Nebraska, but that doesn’t mean they’re all active.
Cerny and Blair Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Brenda Jenny have both made the volunteer sacrifice, giving up events, holidays, work and sleep to make a difference in their communities.
“My dad was on the department as well,” Jenny said. “He was a 55-year member of the Blair Volunteer Fire Department, so I learned from the best.”
Jenny tries to make her dad proud, her heart for service born from years of watching her dad.
“It has to come from the heart,” she said of the struggle to find new volunteers. “You have to want to serve the community and serve your fellow neighbors. And in this day and age, I think everybody is time starved.”
Blair VFD has started a cadet program to try and get new recruits.
Hickman Fire Chief John Brady previously told 10/11 they have been working with Lincoln Fire and Rescue to try and get EMS technicians on a rotation in Hickman, getting them experience and potentially a small stipend to help the volunteer department have more coverage.
At their rural fire board meeting on Monday, Chief Brady also said the department has 11 new applicants, nine of whom are emergency medicine providers, and also just recently purchased three vehicles, one of which is a new ambulance.
10/11 Investigates will be looking at solutions in a story next week, including more on Schottel’s story and an in-depth look at one town in northern Kansas that is innovating to solve their shortage.
This is a complex story and only one part of a multi-part series. If you or someone you know has an experience with rural EMS in Nebraska, reach out to Darsha Dodge at Darsha.Dodge@1011now.com.
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Copyright 2025 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Nebraska Dept. of Agriculture proposes ban on food and beverages containing any amount of THC
LINCOLN, Neb. — A public hearing Thursday drew strong opposition to proposed rules that would label food adulterated and illegal if it contains any amount of THC and its derivatives, potentially decimating Nebraska’s hemp and CBD industry.
The regulations would affect products like gummies, beverages and oral tinctures. Over 490 people wrote in opposition to the new regulations, while only three supported them.
The rule changes stem from an executive order issued by Gov. Jim Pillen in January requiring state agencies to review laws regarding the use of synthetic THC in food and beverages. The order was made to align with federal law coming in November 2026, which bans synthetic THC products and limits total THC concentrations in hemp products to not exceed 0.4 milligrams per container.
The proposed Nebraska rule goes beyond that federal standard.
“I would say it’d be similar other than it does say no THC. It is zero THC,” said Andrew Bish, chief operating officer of Bish Enterprises. “It’s not we are deferring to the federal government standard and aligning with the federal government standard. It is, in fact, a different standard.”
Fifteen speakers testified during the hearing, with many calling for the Department of Agriculture to regulate the industry rather than enforce outright bans.
“I respectfully urge the department to pursue a balanced science-based approach that protects public safety, targets specific problems, strengths and standards where necessary and holds bad actors accountable without unnecessarily eliminating access to products that may Nebraskans find valuable and beneficial,” said Dr. Andrea Holmes, a professor of chemistry at Doane University.
Many who testified were shop owners who said the regulations would result in major business losses and reduced state revenue.
“In 2025, we pay over $1 million in sales tax. We expect to be over $1.3 million in 2026,” one speaker from The Cannabis Factory said. “We’re not opposed to regulation, or oversight, or even additional taxation.”
The Department of Agriculture will review comments and decide if any changes need to be made. If not, the regulations go to the attorney general and the governor for approval.
The regulations include a carve out for the medical cannabis acts, meaning people with medical cannabis cards could get prescriptions that would not be affected by this proposed regulation change.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Thursday that he has asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for damage caused by storms that hit the state May 15-18.
The storms spawned tornadoes and flash flooding across Buffalo, Fillmore, Gage, Howard, Jefferson, Nemaha, Thayer and Thurston counties. There were numerous downed power poles and lines as well as extensive damage to schools, building and roadways. Damage just to public infrastructure is estimated at nearly $5 million.
In addition to the disaster declaration request, Pillen said he also has requested access to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which provides funding to governments to allow them to rebuild in ways that will reduce or mitigate future disaster losses. Approval would allow the state to apply for such grants.
Thursday’s disaster declaration request is the second in two months. Back in May, Pillen requested one for historic wildfires in March that impacted Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morill counties. At the time of the request, it was estimated there was at least $9.7 million in damage from the fires, which were the worst in Nebraska’s history.
Nebraska
Bandits back in the win column with tournament-opening victory in Nebraska – East Idaho News
OMAHA, Neb. – The Bandits opened the Omaha, Nebraska tournament with a 7-4 win over Fremont.
The Bandits, coming off two losses to Billings at last week’s Bandits Invitational, trailed 4-3 in the fifth, but tied it up on a sac fly by Cole Croft.
They scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth for the win.
Carter Bowen finished 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Conner Cannon and Taye Lords each knocked in two runs for Idaho Falls (10-2).
Tyson Christenson picked up the win with four innings of relief.
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