While Kansas and the rest of the nation are somewhat recovering from the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural areas of the state have felt the sting of closed businesses and limited services provided by local governments. Fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS) in rural Barton County have not been exempt from the pain of limited staff and funding, although much of the shortages were an issue well before the pandemic struck in 2020. While the crunch is real, fire and emergency services in the less populated segments of the county have managed to survive although, at times, by a thread. And like many rural communities, a majority of the staff are volunteers. Last year, Barton County commissioners approved a $50,000 budget increase for county fire and EMS departments but the cost to keep these departments in operation continues to rise.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
