Our History

We are currently compiling and researching the history of Stevens County Ambulance Service. We would like to acknowledge the contributions, efforts, and service people gave to establish and provide emergency services in the past. If you have written documentation or assistance you can provide to help further develop the history of the service in Stevens County, please contact us at info@stevensems.com We welcome any pictures, news articles, and personal stories that can be archived and preserved.

The service has gone through many changes in the past 35 years. Since 1979 the service has achieved designation as a Minnesota approved EMS training site, went through many upgrade in level of service from one of the first rural BLS ambulance service to train and acquire EMT-defibrillator trained personnel and a semi-automatic external defibrillator (Heart-Aid) devices to EMT-Intermediate trained personnel authorized to administer variance medications, and in then in 1996, upgrading the service level to full-time Advanced Life Support. The Otto Bremer Foundation, West Central EMS Corporation, private contributions and the Stevens County Board of Commissioners provided funding to train eight local community members and EMT staff members in a customized Paramedic training program offered in Morris. The service began utilizing these Nationally registered Paramedics capable of advanced assessment and ALS care and treatment. Our goal is to continue to enhance and improve our service and personnel qualifications to offer the highest level of care to the people of Stevens County and the surrounding area. It is and always will be our primary mission and goal.

Stevens County Ambulance Service currently provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) level care along with critical care ALS inter-facility patient transfers from area hospitals in western Minnesota. The service now has five ALS equipped ambulances in the fleet along with a staff of five full-time personnel and twenty-four part-time EMTs and Paramedics. We have two physician medical directors representing Stevens Community Medical Center in Morris and Prairie Medical Associates. There are many volunteer personnel throughout the county and in the surrounding communities who provide first responder service to the communities of Hancock, Donnelly, Chokio, Alberta, Cyrus and Herman. The area fire departments, law enforcement agencies, first responders, emergency 911 communications specialists, hospital and clinic personnel, and all area emergency resources and personnel work together to take care of the emergency and non-emergency healthcare needs of the public every day.

Many THANKS to those who have gone before us, and to those who continue to serve in Emergency Medical Services for Stevens County and the surrounding area.