A higher level of pre-hospital care will be more readily available to residents of southern Webster County when the new emergency medical service coordinator begins working there.

Scott Richard, a paramedic, will respond with the Dayton Rescue Squad and Southwest Webster Emergency Medical Service when those units have calls involving the most seriously ill and injured patients.

As a paramedic, Richard can administer drugs, interpret heart rhythms and provide other treatments that the emergency medical technicians in those two units cannot do.

Richard outlined his plans to base his operations in the southern part of the county for the EMS Advisory Council Wednesday evening.

His position is a new one created as a result of county voters approving a tax levy to support emergency medical services in March 2025. His duties include advising the county’s EMS units and fire departments on training, medical supplies and equipment, and compliance with rules and regulations. He is also tasked with responding to emergency calls in areas of the county that do not have paramedic level service.

Right now, Richard is working out of the Webster County Courthouse and is not responding to any emergency calls. The county has purchased a Ford Explorer that was a Fort Dodge Police Department patrol vehicle for Richard’s use. He said Wednesday evening that the vehicle should be equipped and ready to go in September or October.

He said when his vehicle is ready to go, he will move his base of operations to southern Webster County. Because the Fort Dodge Fire Department already provides paramedic level service to the city and the northern half of the county, he plans to focus on the area where there is currently no paramedic level service. Now the Fort Dodge Fire Department responds into southern Webster County when a paramedic is needed.

Richard said he could work out of the Dayton or Gowrie EMS buildings,. The Harcourt firehouse could be another option, he said. That city is located halfway between Dayton and Gowrie.

He told the EMS council members that a renovation to create a meeting room in the Harcourt firehouse is planned for next year. He suggested that the council could help pay for that renovation if Harcourt would agree to create an office for him as part of the project. He suggested contributing $5,000 for the project.

The council took no action on the proposal.

The firehouse renovation is expected to start next summer, and county Supervisor Niki Conrad said the council will consider the idea again.