Ambulance Service Celebrates 30 Years

BENTON COUNTY — The Bella Vista Ambulance Service Inc. is celebrating 30 years of providing service to Bella Vista residents.

With Bella Vista’s growth, the ambulance service has seen many changes throughout the years. In 1977, there were approximately 100 ambulance runs. Meanwhile, 1, 676 calls were recorded last year, according to a Property Owners Association news release.

The community’s first emergency medical technician unit was formed in 1974 by resident Dave Brown, who became aware of training through medical officials. This led to the founding of the Bella Vista EMT Unit, said Ann Dahlke with the Bella Vista Ambulance Service.

Brown, Ron Koeling, Jim LaCasse and Ron Wardlaw attended a CPR course in Springdale and put in 1, 200 volunteer hours at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville. The men formed EMS Inc. in Bella Vista to stabilize patients while waiting for an ambulance to arrive from Bentonville.

The corporation approached AARP and received $ 1, 800 for medical equipment. Each man purchased a first-aid “ jump kit ” at his own expense. The group then met with the POA Board to stress the importance of implementing an ambulance service.

At that time, Brown dissolved EMS Inc., and the Bella Vista Ambulance Service Inc. was born.

A fund drive was started with federal matching funds, and $ 9, 100 was collected. Village residents responded with almost $ 39, 000 in membership dollars. In September 1977, the first ambulance was purchased.

A second ambulance was purchased in 1979 and a third in 1983. In July 1983, a second station was added to the east side on Arkansas Highway 340 East, but has since been closed. The Bella Vista unit became the first Advanced Life Support paramedic service in Benton County.

In July 1986, Station No. 3 was added on Glasgow Road in the Highlands, which reduced ambulance response time on the west side from approximately 20 minutes to 10 minutes or less, Dahlke said.

In 1990, the 911 response went into effect. In March 2005, a new Station No. 2 opened on the east side of Bella Vista at the corner of Trafalgar and Commonwealth roads.

Today, the service owns five ambulances.

In honor of the service’s 30th anniversary, a reception for past and present Bella Vista Ambulance Service Board members will be held at 2 p. m. Oct. 10 in the Bella Vista Fire Department training room.

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