Campaign begins for Spink County EMS Center

By Shiloh Appel and Spink County Ambulance

The proposed Spink County EMS Center, which has been anticipated for the past two years, is getting closer to becoming a reality. Last year in August, Redfield EMT Mike Sanger held an informational meeting at the Redfield Senior Center concerning the proposed Center. This year, Mike Sanger and fellow EMT’s Dawn Oakley and Eric Schueth are launching a campaign to raise funds to build the Center on donated land just north of the hospital.

The proposed center’s building plans have been confirmed. According to the plans, the building would be two stories, 45’ by 80’, with a three ambulance garage. A small covered entry will be at the front of the building by the main walk-in door and a small garage door will be located on the northwest side of the building. The small garage door could be used for small motor accessories, such as a snow blower.  On the main floor in the garage Bay Area, floor heat will heat the garage, and there will be a large floor drain. Electrical drops will be provided to plug in all ambulances when they are not in use. The main floor will consist of a training room with a kitchen, one office, handicap accessible bathroom, and a storage area for additional supplies. The second floor of the building will consist of three bedrooms with an attached bathroom in each room. A commons area will also be included for EMTs who will be staying at the building during their shifts of call.

The Spink County Ambulance has sponsored the “Battle of the Badges” blood drive, a friendly competition between the Spink County Sheriff, Redfield Fire, and Spink County ambulance, and they would like to host community trainings after the building is complete. These trainings would include CPR classes, Stop the Bleed programs, First AID, and future EMT classes.

According to EMT Dawn Oakley, Spink County Ambulance is now selling school masks for ten dollars each to raise money for the EMS Center. Each of the masks will have a Spink County school mascot on them.

“There will be a Pheasant on one, Patriot on another for Hitchcock-Tulare, and so on,” said Oakley. “We contacted all Spink County schools.” (The masks are cloth and machine-washable.)

To purchase a mask or masks, contact Oakley at 460-2442 or message the Spink County Ambulance,  Community Memorial Hospital or City of Redfield Facebook page.

The Spink County Ambulance will also be sending out brochures to local Spink County residents that will give residents an opportunity to support the construction of the EMS Center.

Oakley and Sanger said they hope that the ground breaking for the EMS Center can begin before the snow flies.

“It would be nice to get the outside done. Then they could work on the inside all winter. That would be really nice,” said Oakley. “But we just visited with a contractor and he said with the COVID stuff, it is even hard for them to get some of the materials. So it kind of depends on all the people that have to come together, like the cement people and then the contractors on when we can [start]. We are hoping we can.”

According to Sanger, they hope to have Redfield Development Corporation build the Center. At this point, the Center is estimated to cost about $500,000.

“If Redfield Development Corporation built it, and then we purchase from them, that would really bring the cost down,” said Sanger. “So we are looking at doing that. We don’t know that RADC will do that for us, but there are other options, too. There is Grow Spink. We are going to try and keep it local.”

Following are some letters from Spink County residents in support of the new EMS Center:

LETTER FROM ERIC SCHUETH:

Hello, my name is Eric Schueth. I have been with the Spink County Ambulance for 4 years starting as an EMT-Basic and now becoming a Paramedic. I am originally from Winner, SD. I would like to tell you about my personal experience with the ambulance and how an EMS building impacted my community. When I was growing up in Winner, SD I had always been around the EMS system. My father was an EMT and the ambulance director for over 20 years. If there was a high school football game, demolition derby, rodeos, or stock car races you could usually find me in the back of the ambulance riding to the event.

Tripp County, at the time, had three ambulances that were housed at my family-owned repair shop. The set-up was similar to how the ambulances are housed here in Redfield, one ambulance in a main garage and two other ambulances in a different garage. When there were monthly trainings, crew members would have to pack up what supplies they needed for the training, and meet in a conference room at the police department.

The decision was made with the support from the county, city, and community members that it was time to invest in a facility for the ambulances. I have personally seen the retention, recruitment, and city events that this building has brought. The ambulance building now has a place for training, a kitchen, office, and a place for equipment for each member. EMT classes are now held in the building, as well as a program called “EMT Cadets.” The EMT Cadets program is open to high school students ages 16 or older. The Cadets assist the EMT’s on call, get to wear pagers around school and respond to calls and get to be involved in many great activities such as mock accidents, and school presentations. These presentations at the school help teach the importance of wearing seat belts, CPR, and stop the bleed. These are the types of programs we could help bring to the community if we had a space of our own.

With our building here in Redfield, we would like to be able to hold blood drives, and provide housing for EMT’s who are not within responding limits. EMS around the nation are in a state of hardship. Less and less people are choosing to become EMS responders. In Redfield last year, we responded to 500 calls with nine active EMT. Nine active EMT that cover calls 24/7, 365 days a year. This is a vital service that we need to continue. We have had people volunteer their time from Ashton, Aberdeen, Mellette, and other surrounding communities in the county. However, these people do not have a place to stay, which makes it difficult to bring them here to help. That’s why having the EMS center here in Redfield, we would be able to add three sleeping rooms. These rooms won’t be just for the out -of-town people. With the winters that happen in South Dakota, sometimes it is difficult to get to the garage even if you live a couple of blocks away! This will allow our own people to stay there and be more accessible to help out the community!

This might seem like a lot of rambling, but I just wanted to bring attention to the project we are hoping to accomplish here! As a service, we are here to take the best care possible for you or your loved one in the time of need. We would really appreciate your support on this project.

Thank you for your time and stay safe,

Eric Schueth

LETTER FROM LYNN FLINT MUNCE:

Let me tell you about our Redfield Ambulance Service and why we need them from a perspective of provider and patient.

As a provider, I saw them working countless hours on call daily during good and bad weather. I saw them go out in the middle of the snow storms to bring a patient in for needed care.

Do we need them? Yes. Do we sometimes forget how important they are? Yes.

Now let me tell you as a patient. I was trimming a tree branch with a chainsaw and it got caught. I was trimming pieces from the end of the branch to release the pressure and fell from the ladder. Being a provider, I knew when I landed I had broken bones: arm, leg. Called for the ambulance and Dawn Oakley and Jessi Lewis arrived. My angels. I knew some of what they did, but being a patient is a whole other insight. Their caring and expertise in treating me was wonderful. Even telling me about “pain bumps” when driving on streets and when in pain - those “bumps” are mountains.

While I was being evaluated at the hospital, Jessi took it upon himself to go get the chainsaw out of the tree to prevent another call. Where else could you find such a caring group? Ambulance people that go above and beyond the call of duty. But it didn’t stop there. My accident occurred around 4p.m. The wait for acceptance of transfer to another facility occurred at 7:45p.m. Got to Sioux Falls at 9:45p.m.

It was so nice seeing Dawn’s friendly face on the way down, and her reassuring manners that we “are almost there.” Jessi and Dawn had a trip back home to Redfield and return to call. Then guess what? They had to go back to work that next day.

How many times when the sirens sound do you stop and think about what may be happening? Who needs the help of our ambulance crew-let’s hope it won’t be you-but if it is, be assured that you will find some of the most dedicated, caring angel staff you will ever want to meet.

— Lynn Flint Munce