Kenyon First Responders 1-yr Anniversary

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A year has passed since the Kenyon Volunteer Firemen & First Responders began shouldering the responsibility of answering local medical emergency calls. Kenyon North Ambulance phased out their services at the beginning of March 2011 after several months of transitioning medical calls over to the firefighters and working together.
Past Chief Todd Angelstad said the first responder duties have gone well in their first year of service, and he commended the firefighters for stepping up. Being first responders means taking four-hour continuing education classes once each month, so they have had to make time for the additional training.
“Every time we go to class it’s a new thing,” said Angelstad. The firefighters have learned how to tie a proper tourniquet, administer CPR, handle diabetic emergencies and use EpiPens, among other things.
Of the 139 calls for assistance as of Dec. 1, first responder action accounted for 112 of the calls. That has meant many more calls to duty for the crew.
Kenyon’s Chief of Police, Lee Sjolander, noted that he has a good working relationship with the firefighters/first responders. Often the police are the first ones on the scene when an emergency call comes in. He said it is convenient because the firefighters are all local people and pretty much know the community.
“It is nice to have that many of the responders show up for a call,” said Sjolander. “It is common to have 4-5 of the fire crew come out for any given medical call.”
Sjolander said he wanted to be clear that the former ambulance technicians had done a great job as well. Barb Starch said that while she feels the first responders are doing a good job and are helpful, the community still does have a need for an ambulance service. Starch is director of nursing at the Kenyon Sunset Home, and said they have to wait 20-30 minutes for an ambulance crew to arrive from Faribault for a transport. The first responders are qualified to attend to a medical call, but cannot transport a patient in their vehicle. That means a half-hour wait on a good day, said Starch, and in some situations, that is a long time.
“We appreciate the guys for helping, and love having them here, but it is too bad we don’t have an ambulance service any longer,” said Starch.
A year for them, too
Among the firefighters is Jill Paulson, Kenyon’s first female firefighter. She joined the crew a year ago, along with Josh Lerfald and Scott Radtke. Angelstad noted that she fits in well with the crew and has been an asset to them in the medical area. Paulson was a member of Kenyon North Ambulance, and he described her as “a seasoned veteran” when it comes to medical assistance calls.
The ambulance vehicle
Angelstad said the ambulance vehicle is working out well when responding to calls. The vehicle is not new, he figured it to be about 15 years old, but it gets the job done. This past summer the ambulance received new graphics and lettering, and he said that means visibility and also good recognition for the firefighters when they are out in the community.