Emergency service providers in Wisconsin are warning that rural communities might not have the fire response they need.
“What we found was that just under half the departments lack the personnel to make a fire response that involves four people and an engine. So, the way that’s being dealt with is that most of the departments are using mutual aid to fill that gap, and as there’s less and less volunteers available, and about 80 percent of our fire departments in Wisconsin are staffed by volunteers, or near volunteers who are paid a small amount to be part of the department. It’s put a pretty significant strain on the emergency response infrastructure,” said James Small, the EMS Outreach Program Manager for the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health.
Small warns that more than 60 percent of rural fire departments have expressed concerns about staffing and budget levels. A big problem, he says, is that more and more folks are taking jobs outside their local communities.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) representative Dr. Dirac Twidwell joins us with the latest on woody encroachment conservation efforts in the Great Plains.
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API said it stands ready to work with Congress to develop a balanced approach to E15 legislation that promotes fuel choice, supports investment certainty, and contributes to a stable and fair marketplace for American consumers.
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Beef industry groups seem to agree — market-based pricing, not federal intervention, best supports rancher livelihoods and long-term beef supply stability.
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Harvest Pace, Logistics, and Input Costs Drive Fall Decisions
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Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
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