Article by: Chris Giesen
The Harmony Ambulance Service was able to secure $22,594 from the Minnesota Department of Health through its COVID-19 Health Care Response Grant program with the help of CEDA vice president Chris Giesen, who is the CEDA team member assigned to Harmony. This program was 100% grant, without a match requirement, and will provide the Harmony Ambulance Service with the ability to purchase additional personal protection equipment (PPE) and provide hazard pay to volunteer crew members to help compensate for the additional work, training, and risk associated with responding to emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Giesen assisted ambulance director Eileen Schansberg with completing the application. With detailed information on department needs from the ambulance director, we were able to put this application together pretty quickly. Harmony also received their award notice pretty quickly, too. Volunteer emergency response crews are doing more now than ever so being able to help them get additional compensation and making sure they are well equipped with PPE- well, it was a good feeling to be able to help Harmony’s first responders.