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Has your chimney been cleaned this year?

Annual maintenance is key to preventing fires, officials say By Wendy Royston, Dakotafire Media Additional reporting by Ken Schmierer Some rural Dakotans have recently taken to burning corn, pellets and wood to avoid burning as much cash for home heating… 

A community fundraising effort helped the Marshall County Ambulance Building become a reality. Photo by Doug Card/Britton Journal

Challenges for rural EMTs spark innovations

Despite the challenge of finding enough volunteers—or in some cases, because of that challenge—many rural ambulance services have come up with creative ways to serve their communities better.

Members of the Frederick community determined they could no longer guarantee 24/7 response with the EMTs available, and so they gave up their license. Here, Cole Adema, director of the Frederick Area Ambulance, explains some options. Photo by Heidi Marttila-Losure

Life-saving rapid response in jeopardy in some communities

As rural ambulance services struggle to find enough volunteers to maintain their services, it’s the moments of that crucial golden hour that tick away when help takes longer to arrive, or even fails to arrive.

Duffy Ducheaux, of Avon, S.D., goes into low orbit during the July 2 Bull-A-Rama at Wild West Days in Faulkton, S.D.

Festivals bring small towns roaring to life

For small towns in the Dakotas, a summer celebration can double the population, creating traffic jams in places with no stoplights and a hum of excitement to some generally work-a-day places.