Dan Metcalf, James Dunham, Diane Hetrick, Jeff Wallerich, Dawn Kontzelmann

In honor of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, three Wabasha residents, David Wodele, Dean Meurer and Diane Hetrick took the time to thank Wabasha Ambulance Service members for saving their lives and the lives of countless others.

“I wouldn’t be here without it,” Hetrick said, recalling when she experienced a cardiac arrest while working at Handy Mart on March 20, 2025. The medical emergency Hetrick experienced has only a 10% survival rate. Henrick survived thanks to the immediate emergency response and CPR she received.

EMT Jeff Wallerich was the first on scene. Wallerich knew immediately it was Diane when he heard the dispatch call.

Wallerich was alone when he arrived on scene. This was his first time providing CPR on his own. “I was amazed. The training just took over. I shouted Diane’s name and saw that she didn’t have a pulse, then I just started CPR. All the training was good muscle memory. Then Dan (Metcalf) came with the AED (automated external defibrillator) a half minute later, we put that on her, nothing happened, then she finally took the shock.”

The ambulance arrived shortly thereafter with EMTs Tina Cook, James Dunham, and Dawn Kontzelmann. CPR continued to be administered in transport to the hospital with a Lucas Device. Hetrick was then flown to St. Mary’s in Rochester. She is now back on the job at Handy Mart.

Hetrick said simply, “They saved my life. I am so appreciative, I can’t say enough.”

Due to their response that day, Metcalf, Wallerich, Cook, Dunham, and Kontzelmann have all been honored with Life Saver Awards.

Dean Meurer also recently recounted how his life was saved five times by the Wabasha Ambulance Service in the last 40 years. “The most recent time, a few months ago, I fell unconscious and stopped breathing,” said Meurer.

He then described how EMTs Cindy Sheeley and Callie Carrels provided care to him to start breathing again and become responsive, while his nephew and Wabasha police officer Chad Meurer drove the ambulance to the hospital.

“It brought my anxiety level down, just seeing a familiar face and knowing that they know I am in a wheelchair and am going to need extra assistance,” said Meurer.

David Wodele, Wabasha native, noted the importance of seeing familiar faces, when he shared about his Advanced Life Support transfer by Wabasha Ambulance Service. The transport was from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital to St. Mary’s Rochester due to a life-threatening illness of bacteria in the blood. “The EMTs were so good,” said Wodele, “and it was so nice to see Jeff, who I’ve known a long time. Ashley helped keep me at ease on the ride over. It’s a commitment and it’s so important to have these volunteers. You just never know when you’ll need them.”

When Wallerich and Klamfoth look back on this day, they both said they were just doing their jobs.

“It’s always nice to help someone you know,” said Wallerich.

The Wabasha Ambulance Service began providing Advanced Life Support two years ago under the guidance of Ambulance Director, Ryan Marking. Advanced Life Support allows paramedics to provide medications out in the field and help get critically ill patients from St. Elizabeth’s to a facility providing a higher level of care.

“During a trauma call, it helps us get people the medication they need, right out there in the field, instead of waiting for a 15 to 20-minute ride to the hospital,” said Ashley Klamfoth, who the Department hired as a paramedic about eight months ago.

Being able to deliver medication or CPR on the side of the road after a car crash also requires help from Fire and Police for traffic control and extra assistance. The residents and EMS providers also all noted that the teamwork among Wabasha Fire, Ambulance, Police, and St. Elizabeth’s was outstanding in the care that they received.

Jade Shingleton has been with the Department for eight months and immediately noted this teamwork when she joined.

“One of the biggest perks is the camaraderie between the departments,” said Shingleton. “Due to having multiple patients during a recent car rollover accident in Reads Landing, I had to take care of one patient by myself while our Paramedic provided care to another patient. Shawn (Wristen), responding with Wabasha Fire, came and helped me in the ambulance.” Wristen, is one of many who volunteer for both departments.

Wabasha Fire Chief Darren Sheeley added, “It’s very rare to find another fire department that works as well with the ambulance as we do. Twenty percent of our fire fighters are also on the ambulance service.”

Despite this critical work, rural EMS is in crisis across the country, with EMS services shutting down as rural populations have a tough time staffing 24-7 service. In honor of National EMS week, Wabasha EMS providers want readers to leave with one message: consider answering the call to join EMS.