Local fire department and EMS holds a boot drive to keep them financially afloat amidst uncertain times
MOUNT HOPE, WV (WVNS) – One local fire department set up at an interchange in Mount Hope to hold a boot drive to raise important funds to help them continue serving the public.
The Bradley-Prosperity Volunteer Fire Department covers around 60 miles of Raleigh County, as well as offering emergency and non-emergency EMS transport services.
26th West Virginia ambulance service shuts down within 2 years
Fire Chief, David Wriston told 59News it is tough for them financially, with Medicare and Medicaid payouts. He explained these reimbursements are becoming increasingly more difficult to collect because of the disqualifications in both programs. It can take 6 to 8 months after they provided a transport for them to get reimbursed, according to Wriston.
'It is incredibly important to have as many ambulances available as you can. Just because we are here at Bradley does not mean that we are only here in Bradley. We have been to Coal City, we have been to Ghent, we have been to other places. The need for ambulance transports is absolutely there. It is just [a matter of] the finances to keep it going,' said Wriston.
Wriston and his department are very grateful for their county levy's financial support, but this boot drive helped them raise additional money to help them provide quality service while keeping them financially stable.
The Bradley-Prosperity Fire Department will take the money from this boot drive and take it to their board of directors. These donations will help them with projects around the station, as well as filling the void when they are waiting for their reimbursement payments.
Wriston said they are planning another boot drive around the Fourth of July.
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