Tour of duty; Decommissioned Portage County ambulance begins new era
By Kris Leonhardt
Editor
STEVENS POINT – A Portage County ambulance decommissioned in 2016 will now benefit emergency services in Nicaragua.
On Jan. 12, United States Ambassador Kevin Sullivan delivered six vehicles donated from Wisconsin to Managua, Nicaragua, through Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners.
Among the donated vehicles was a surplus ambulance donated by Portage County to the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas.
After the 2016 purchase of a new ambulance, the 2000 International vehicle was no longer used by Portage County EMS and provided as a donation to Nicaragua.
Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners Executive Director Amy Wiza said that 2020 is the 55th year of the organization’s partnership and the shipment brings the number of vehicles sent from Wisconsin to Nicaragua to 64.
“This is the first time a Portage County vehicle was ‘donated,’” Wiza said. “In 2006, 14 people/families donated approximately $200 each to purchase the decommissioned ambulance at a price of $2,500, the ambulance was then sent to Estelí via (the) same process as the one delivered on Sunday.”
Wiza added that the 2020 donation was several years in the making.
“This humanitarian shipment that finally came to fruition has been a tremendous effort among many people over the past five years, gathering this fleet of vehicles,” Wiza explained. “There were several delays in the last two years due to potential political unrest, and finally a window of opportunity opened up for this people to people effort.
“It’s a fine example of collaboration and an opportunity for many entities, including government and non-government, to come together for the good of others.”
Senior Master Sergeant Justin Kessler, superintendent for 27th Aerial Port Squadron at the Minneapolis Air Force Base, used a drill weekend for loading the Wisconsin six-vehicle donation on a U.S. Air Force Galaxy C5.
The six vehicles – two ambulances, two fire trucks, a brush truck, and one tractor – were then transported and turned over to the Civil Association Volunteer Fire Department of Nicaragua.
The tractor was donated by Milo Harpstead of Stevens Point and will replace work currently being done by hand, using oxen. A second ambulance came from the South Milwaukee Fire Department through the Lion’s Club, a tanker truck was donated by the Town of Doty Fire Department, and a pumper and brush truck were donated by Dr. Brad Martin.
Wiza said that she has received word that the Portage County ambulance was officially turned over to Marcio Roque, fire chief at the Estelí Fire Department, to begin its tour of duty, but more is needed to assist the department in Esteli.
“(The) ambulance has been sitting quite a few years so there is a fund set up to help the fire department in Estelí with gas and maintenance needed to get and keep the ambulance up and running in Estelí,” she added. “It’s not a new vehicle, but certainly with some TLC has much life left in it. Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners offers ways for people in our community to get involved and make a difference, and this is one example.
“The people who step up and help out in various capacities are the reason projects like the ambulance can happen. Without them, the vast impact in Nicaragua would not exist and the sustained programming that we do would not take place. Sustainability is the goal of every international humanitarian effort.
“What we do here in Wisconsin gives purpose to our lives while filling a gap that exists in Nicaragua.”
For more information on Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners, or the donation, visit https://wisnic.org or find wisnicpartners on Facebook.