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 Chuck Johnson, Fairbanks, AK, and Ray Norton, Orofino are the winners. Clearwater County Ambulance Service is the answer for Week 145 of Orofino History Trivia, a special feature to celebrate the history and heritage of Clearwater Country. Join in the discovery! According to information from Cleawater County Ambulance Service (CCAS), prior to Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) ambulance services were usually run by mortuaries. Dr. Maurice Masar taught the first EMT class in 1972 at the beginning of Clearwater County Ambulance Service. Response in Orofino was with a Chevy van and transfers were made to Spokane hospitals with a Pontiac station wagon. Dr. Masar was and continues to be Medical Control. EMTs were a result of the large number of wounded in Vietnam and training people received there. Women became a part of the EMT ranks in 1973 and have been vital since. Originally Basic EMT training took 70 hours. That has increased to 120 hours. Advanced certification takes an additional 60 hours. First Responders need 60 hours of training and Drivers must have current CPR certification. Nick Albers, then Clearwater County Sheriff, was the first director when the service was a part of that department. Shawn Kaufman was the second director. Leonard Eckman and Les Eaves followed as directors three and four, respectively. Five EMTs were trained in the first class. That has grown to 69 compensated volunteers from all walks of life. There are now eight ambulances and a "jump" car that allows medical personnel to get to the scene faster than the ambulance with the basic equipment they need. Monday: Pontiac station wagon Sponsored by:
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| Window on the Clearwater P.O. Box 2444 Orofino, ID 83544 208-476-0733 Fax: 208-476-3407 |