Libby Volunteer Ambulance to move

By Kyle McClellan The Western News

Libby Volunteer Ambulance will soon move into its temporary headquarters at the Libby Racquet Club during the construction of the new ambulance barn.

The old ambulance barn, an outdated building given to the volunteer organization by Lincoln County in 1971, will be torn down.

"It was a dump in '71," said Penny Keyes, office manager for the volunteer ambulance.

The new $1.1 million barn will be built at the same location at 307 Montana Ave.

Libby City Council members voted Monday night to waive the building and water and sewer hook-up fees for the new barn. This move saved the volunteer organization about $10,000.

"It was very generous and nice to see so much support," Keyes said.

Council members cited the organization's critical service to the community as the primary reason for their unanimous vote.

The $1.1 million cost comes from ambulance service fees. A typical service fee costs about $415.

The new ambulance barn will provide sufficient space for the organization's five ambulances and rescue truck, and also the crew's quarters, conference room and office.

Keyes said the old building was a danger to people who came to make payments-the same people the organization helped remove from danger.

"I had to get them by hand and walk them through because they'd trip on all the electrical cords running all over the place, or the steps up and down, or the threshold that rocks because it's rotting off the building," Keyes said.

Most importantly, the new barn will be built with four doors, three more than the old barn, removing the hassle—and potential public danger—of a severely limited exit way for Libby's only ambulance service.

"We've been saving a long time for this," Keyes said. "This is the fruition of a lot of hard work."

Now, Keyes and the ambulance crew must prepare for the daily hazards of responding to emergencies from the temporary barn at the racquet club, which sits off U.S. Highway 37.

The driveway of the racquet club empties directly onto the highway, where the posted speed limit is 55 mph.

"It's fairly dangerous," Keyes said. "The public needs to be aware that we're going to be coming in and out of that little driveway."