After working on this project for half a year, we would like to announce that Kearney Yamaha, in cooperation with the Nebraska Off Highway Vehicle Association (NOHVA), has DONATED the use of an ATV and rescue trailer to the Thedford Rescue Squad / Fire Department, and the Thomas County Sheriff's Department. 

Both units were presented to the departments on August 24th, 2003.  NOHVA has offered to help provide or arrange for additional items such as helmets, training, some emergency equipment that include lights and siren, and possibly a $1300 storage unit. 

The ATV is a new 2003 Yamaha 660 Grizzly 4x4 with an automatic transmission and the trailer will be a Mountain Goat Medi-vac trailer .  The trailer is manufactured by S & T Manufacturing in Hubbell Nebraska. 

The rescue unit is intended for use at the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey and the surrounding area. 

Some of the uses of the ATV and trailer will be to help with medical situations at the forest and help with law enforcement.  The unit will not be used by U.S. Forest Service personnel.  

Those who will benefit from the unit include not only recreational ATV and dirtbike riders, but also horse riders, hikers, bicycle riders, hunters, campers, the state 4-H camp, local forest workers and local ranchers. 

As part of our effort to help local government agencies in Nebraska deal with increasing recreational ATV and dirtbike use, NOHVA strives to help the involved agencies as much as our resources will allow.

The project began after several calls were made to local emergency medical services to help injured trail users.  In several cases it was impossible to reach the injured people by conventional means.  In one instance an injured ATV rider had to be carried by EMTs for a considerable distance to be air lifted out by helicopter. 

A email asking for assistance was sent from Tegwin Egle of the Thedford Rescue Unit to Dan Nitzel, Business Manager of the Nebraska Off Highway Vehicle Association.  Dan offered to see what NOHVA could do to help.  Dan mentioned what NOHVA has done to address similar problems at the Headworks OHV Park and began to make phone calls to local ATV dealers to see if they were willing to help. 

After a call to Gene Freeze, owner of Kearney Yamaha in Kearney Nebraska, Gene offered to arrange for the use of a new ATV, but also offered to donate the rescue trailer to NOHVA so that NOHVA can present the trailer to local agencies!   

This is the second rescue unit that NOHVA has sponsored in Nebraska.  The first unit was presented to the Genoa Rescue Squad and the Nance County Sheriff's Department in 2001.  the ATV was provided by Curry Bros. Motorsports of Columbus Nebraska and NOHVA purchased the trailer.  For more information click here. 

We have to thank Gene Freeze, owner of Kearney Yamaha for donating the $1900 Medi-vac trailer to NOHVA AND donating the use of a $7100 Yamaha ATV. 

Gene has been one of Nebraska's leading progressive and prominent supporters of responsible, family based ATV and dirtbike recreation. He was one of the original founding members of NOHVA in 1987 and helped get the NOHVA organization rolling with a donation of an ATV for a raffle in 1987.

THANKS GENE and KEARNEY YAMAHA!!

Contact information:
Dan Nitzel, Business Manager & Co-founder
Nebraska Off Highway Vehicle Association
2231 W. 10th St.
Grand Island, NE  68803
CONTACT US

Yamaha 600 Grizzly

Mountain Goat Medi-vac rescue trailer