SANDPOINT — Through busy summer months, the Bonner County Ambulance Service District will add a paramedic to the Hope and Clark Fork areas in July after accepting a grant for summer staffing.  

The BCASD was approved unanimously to accept the grant from the Sam Owen Firefighter Foundation, Inc., and will use the funds to staff a full-time summer season paramedic from July 1 to Sept. 8.  

According to a memorandum submitted to the board, the grant amount totals $30,000 — $15,000 to be paid upon acceptance of the grant and the rest Aug. 1, subject to the performance by the paramedic. The grant outline also indicates that reimbursement will be made available for any rent charged by the Sam Owen Fire District for use of their fire station by the funded paramedic.  

The paramedic will be required to reside within the coverage area of Hope and Clark Fork for at least 90% of the grant coverage period, unless called to an active call outside that coverage area.  

“The primary objective of this grant is to ensure that paramedic services are available to the Hope/Clark Fork communities throughout the busy summer season, with staffing maintained at a high level to meet public safety needs,” the grant overview said. 

BCASD Chief Jeff Lindsey said the Sam Owens Firefighters Foundation jumped to provide aid when the ambulance district could no longer sustain staffing in the Hope area in 2024. The foundation, according to Lindsey, knew that the community in that area yearned to have advanced life support in their community. 

“During that time, during that summer that the paramedic was out there, we can attribute one, probably more than that, but at least one life saved,” Lindsey said. “The paramedic got on scene. There was an AED that shocked the patient. Our paramedic got there, began delivering advanced life support immediately, which incidentally saved this patient's life.” 

Due to the foundation’s ability to hand out grants, board members worked with the BCASD to provide adequate funding to staff for a paramedic out of Sam Owen Fire Station 1.