Join WRCO and UW-Richland in welcoming guest panelists Ken Bartz, Chuck Happel, and Josh Kowalke for a conversation about emergency medical services. This Community Education Forum will be held in the Pippin Center at UW-Richland on Monday, December 15, at 6pm.

The panelists will discuss how EMS has changed in Wisconsin since it got its official start in 1968 and what it takes to work in the field. Each of the panelists brings with them a unique perspective and knowledge of Wisconsin EMS. Ken Bartz is the lead instructor of EMS at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, training students across the region on emergency medical care. Chuck Happel is the Wisconsin Department of Health Services EMS Program Coordinator for Advanced Life-Support, working with intermediate-level ambulance squads to grant licensure and ensure compliance. Josh Kowalke is the Board President for the Wisconsin EMS Association, helping to strengthen the emergency care provided in Wisconsin though education, information, and legislative action.

The goal of this event is help the Richland Center community better understand emergency medical services from a grander perspective and answer any questions that may exist. While there have been many discussions recently regarding EMS in the area, this event will focus on EMS at the regional and state level. Potential topics include the differences in education and care from first responder to paramedic and how the introduction of career positions has impacted the original volunteer ambulance model in rural areas.

Dean Patrick Hagen said, “I am delighted that UW-Richland’s Pippin Conference Center can be the site for this very important discussion about EMS issues in Wisconsin. The purpose of the forum is to help educate the public. We’re pleased whenever we can serve the community in that way.”

This community education forum is made possible through partnerships with WRCO, UW-Richland, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, Wisconsin Department of Health Services – EMS, and the Wisconsin EMS Association. For more information, please contact Ron Fruit at rfruit@wrco.com.

Download the flyer here.

Local EMT Trainees Reach Halfway Mark In Class

Back on August 19^th, a group of seven Richland Center residents met in Readstown to begin an 18-week journey that would test their courage, perseverance, patience, and dedication. Sponsored by the Richland County Ambulance made possible by special training grants, this year’s group of EMT Trainees includes Richard Brown, Amber Burch, Julie Hendricks, Dolan Hostetler, Cody Layer, Katie Spry, and Connie Studnicka. Now halfway through the course to become Emergency Medical Technician – Basics, these students reflect on what they’ve learned and recognize the amount of work left on the road to an EMT license.

Though the group is united under that common goal, the students come from a variety of backgrounds. Katie Spry is a recent high school graduate and employee at Ed’s Family Foods. Spry said she had always desired a career that would be fast paced and that would benefit humanity in some way. “I pictured myself undertaking an occupation involving international travels, such as bringing clean water to children in Africa. However, I realized I don’t need to go any farther than my own community to help people in a practical way.” Amber Burch, formerly of Hillsboro now employed at Neighborhood Housing Services, grew up with family in emergency services, which led her to pursuing being an EMT. Connie Studnicka decided to take the EMT course after stumbling upon a number of incidents requiring EMS services and one pointed question last spring by fellow classmate Richard Brown, “Have you ever thought of becoming an EMT?” Another classmate, Cody Layer, is an active member of the Richland Center Fire Department. [Read more…]

Take the challenge, donate and help us create a world without ALS!

Experience the #IceBucketChallenge phenomenon that’s spreading ALS Awareness across the country.

Derek Goplen of Richland Center EMS took the #IceBucketChallenge and challenges everyone to donate to ALS or another charity of your choice.

The members of the Richland County Ambulance Service would like to thank all the students, parents and teachers that participated in the coloring contest in honor of National EMS Week. As a token of our appreciation we will be handing out “Dedicated for Life” bracelets to all the children that participated in the contest. The bracelets will be delivered to teacher’s of each class that participated for disbursement. We would also like to thank our Honorary Judges; Sheila McCauley, Loren Abraham, Connie Studnicka, and Lori Post. Loren and Sheila were long time EMT’s of our squad. Lori is a current member and Connie is new to our service as a trainee.

[Read more…]

Richland County EMS is hosting an Open House – Click here for details!

May 18-24, 2014 is the 40th annual EMS Week. This year’s theme is “EMS: Dedicated. For Life.”

In 1973, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS, its practitioners and the important work they do responding to medical emergencies. Coming on the heels of Congress passing the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act, the first EMS Week celebrations were held when EMS was a fledgling industry. EMS practitioners were only beginning to emerge as a critical component of emergency medicine, the public health safety net and in helping to safeguard the health and well being of communities. [Read more…]