VIENNA — January was the Maries-Osage Ambulance District’s (MOAD) busiest month on record, according to data reviewed at the Feb. 17 board meeting.

MOAD responded to 71 service calls in January. The figure is about 10.3 percent of last year’s 688 total calls.

Of the 71 calls, 62 occurred in the Vienna zone and nine occurred in the Freeburg zone. The Vienna calls included 38 urgent emergencies and 24 dry-run emergencies. The Freeburg calls included five urgent emergencies, three dry-run emergencies and one routine transfer.

Board member Laura Miller asked how many of the calls came from the area around Meta that MOAD annexed last year.

Administrator Carla Butler estimated a handful of service calls came from the Meta area.

Another discussion topic was the district’s policy about service animals in ambulances. Butler said she had spoken with the district’s lawyer after a recent call where the patient wanted to bring a service animal in the ambulance. Board members received a sample service animal policy that permits service animals “designated as a guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability” on ambulances and considerations for safely transporting the animals.

The lawyer’s suggestion, Butler said, did not include emotional support animals because they are not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The board did not take any action toward a service animal policy.

The 2016 ambulance was back in service after hitting a deer and ending up in an auto shop for repairs. The board reviewed a $10,500 quote for three steel bumpers, but it decided to table the conversation because of the uncertain futures the ambulances have with the district. MOAD has two ambulances ordered with expected arrivals in June 2026 and October 2026, so board members were reluctant to invest in bumpers if the ambulances will not be with the district after next year. The new ambulances will have similar steel bumpers.

MOAD will take all the automated external defibrillators (AED) residing within the district to the Vienna base for annual maintenance on Feb. 26. Other emergency services, businesses and community organizations such as churches have AEDs that will receive maintenance.

Income in January totaled $249,171.11 in January while expenses totaled $46,885.92 for $202,285.19 in net income. Most of the income came from tax revenue.

The district received the phones for its new lines from AT&T. The fax line still needs to be connected.

Butler was working to update the district’s Federal Communications Commission licensing, which occurs every 10 years. She expected it would be completed by May.