NIOBRARA COUNTY – It has been a long process for Mike Mayville. The Lusk-Niobrara Ambulance director has been working for months to raise money to procure a new ambulance for Niobrara County. Now, that process has culminated with the acquisition of the emergency vehicle and Mayville couldn’t be happier.  

Mayville began the process over a year ago. Although the Ambulance Service has three ambulances, two are in service on a nearly continuous basis while the third is maintained as a stand-by. Mayville has been trying to replace the third ambulance, which is over 20-years old and long overdue for retirement.

Funding for a new ambulance necessitated applications for multiple grants. Many community members also answered the call, generously donating funds towards the purchase of the new ambulance.

The cost for a new ambulance was over $400,000. The fund for the procurement of the vehicle grew from a modest $100,000 to an amount that actually exceeded the cost. When it was all said and done, Lusk and Niobrara County became the proud owners of a new ambulance.

The Town of Lusk council accepted a bid from a family-owned company in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Dubbed Arrow Manufacturing Inc., the company’s founding family owners is now its second generation. Arrow Manufacturing Inc. has been in business for over 37 years. Mayville provided the company with the specifications for community’s future ambulance. Arrow delivered on all of the expectations and more.

“One of the big draws for me is that they do all of the building of the ambulance in-house,” said Mayville. “They have a big body shop that they use, they do pain, body work. The have a lifetime warranty on their wiring.”

Arrow Manufacturing Inc. has an electrician who custom wires the ambulances. The aluminum box frame for Arrow’s ambulances are. According to Mayville, the company purchases brand new trucks from Chevy, Ford and Dodge. The interiors of the brand-new chassis are stripped. From this foundation, the ambulance is built. That which is not built by Ford is custom built to order by Arrow.

“They [Arrow] are a medium-sized ambulance builder,” said Mayville. “They have built ambulances for Sundance, Crook County, Lingle and are currently in discussion with building one potentially for Glendo [Wyoming].”

Mayville traveled to Iowa last week and brought the new ambulance home to Lusk. It will still be awhile before it can begin service. The new vehicle has to be stocked and inspected by the State of Wyoming. The time of the inspection has yet to be determined.

The new ambulance features deeper cabinets and a new powerlift that can raise the gurney into the ambulance. This feature will minimize potential injuries to EMS personal during emergencies. The side door was dropped down for easier entry.

“What we needed was a 450 chassis because of our ranch roads, and, of course, 4-wheel drive,” said Mayville. “What I wanted to do was to have a box built similar to our 2013 model. There were slight differences. I just wanted to have consistencies with all of our ambulances. We’ll have at least 20 years with our ambulances.”

Lisa Shaw gave the ambulance her own personal touch, adorning the side of the vehicle with photos that she had amalgamated a collage. The collage includes Lusk’s famous water tower, cowboys, cattle and a windmill.

According Mayville, he wanted the new ambulance to be more recognizable. This was achieved with the addition of Shaw’s collage, which gives the ambulance its own unique identity.    

Grants for the ambulance came from State Lands and Investment Board and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Donations that were given by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., 4 3 Land & Cattle, Niobrara Fair Board – Gymkhana, Muriel E. Spacht Memorial Trust, Legend of Rawhide, Co-Bank, Niobrara Electric Association, JD Wasserburger and Family, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Harmony Lodge #24, Niobrara Sportsman’s Club, and the Town of Van Tassel.  There were many local donors who wished to remain anonymous.

Mayville expressed his gratitude to several parties. Among them were Mayor Doug Lytle and the Lusk Town Council Members, Desi LeLeux, Taylor Willis, Kaylene White and Mattie Pfister in the Town of Lusk office, Linda Frye, Jen Davis at Governor Gordon’s office, the EMT’s and drivers of the ambulance service, Brandie Collins of The Lusk Herald and all of the residents of the Town of Lusk and Niobrara County. Mayville also thanked Lusk Fire Chief Chantry Filener, “for all of the IT support and the encouragement throughout this long process.”

“I just want to convey a general sense of gratitude. To everyone for all the help and support,” Mayville said. “There are so many good people in our community and state who have always been supportive of this project. Thank you.”