OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Many Nebraska communities rely on volunteers to provide emergency care on ambulances.

That’s true in Cass County, but officials there recently decided to hire two paramedics to supplement the volunteers especially on daytime calls.

The program is a partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center that state officials say might serve as a model for other counties.

Dr. Eric Ernst says getting quality care is crucial when a person is having a health crisis.

The new program that started Jan. 1 assigns one paramedic and one emergency medical technician to ambulance calls during the day when volunteers are usually working.

The county budgeted $356,000 to get the program started and pay for salaries and equipment.