Ambulance units from Farnhamville and Stratford would receive some of the money from Webster County’s emergency medical tax under proposed agreements headed to the Board of Supervisors.

The volunteer fire departments in those two communities have provided ambulance service to relatively small areas of southern Webster County for decades.

Exactly how much money each agency would receive hasn’t been calculated yet. The Dayton Rescue Squad and the Southwest Webster Emergency Medical Service in Gowrie will each receive a bit less if the agreements are approved by the supervisors and officials in Farnhamville and Stratford.

Farnhamville is in Calhoun County. Stratford straddles the border of Webster and Hamilton counties.

Webster County Supervisor Niki Conrad, who is the chairwoman of the county’s Emergency Medical Service Advisory Council, said the intent was always to include those two departments in the funding.

The original plan was to have the units in Gowrie and Dayton pay the Farnhamville and Stratford units.

Under the proposal advanced by the EMS Advisory Council Wednesday, Farnhamville and Stratford would have their own agreements with Webster County and would get their money directly from the county.

The council voted unanimously to send the proposed agreements to the Board of Supervisors.

Stratford provides ambulance service to about 30 square miles east of the Des Moines River in southeastern Webster County.

Dan Hansen, director of the Dayton Rescue Squad, said the Stratford ambulances can get into that area in three to five minutes.

“It’s about patient care and what’s best for the patient,” he said.

“We couldn’t do it without Stratford — there’s no way,” he added. “They’re great partners.”

The Farnhamville Fire Department provides ambulance coverage to about 18 square miles of southwestern Webster County, including a busy section of Iowa Highway 175.

“They’ve always covered it,” said Dan Hanson, the Southwest Webster EMS representative on the council.

In March 2025, Webster County voters approved a new levy of 75 cents per $1,000 of taxable value to support emergency medical services. It is expected to generate about $1.6 million annually.