Iowa Launching Pilot Rural First Aid System

(Des Moines) Three Iowa counties will be testing a new program to cut emergency response times in rural areas. Iowans who are interested in helping out will get some basic training. Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg says 911 dispatchers will send whoever is closest to the emergency to provide care until an ambulance arrives. The Iowa United First Aid program will be tested in Cass, Calhoun, and Van Buren counties. Those counties are getting 50 thousand dollars from the state and 25 thousand from the county for training and equipment.