Celebrating our hometown heroes for EMS Week

This week is National EMS Week and the City of Wabasha is recognizing our hometown EMS providers and the community members they have helped.

Rory Wristen (Greenfield Township) was a couple days shy of her ninth birthday this past October, and she was riding a four-wheeler, when she crashed hard into a metal fence and flipped over, landing on her head and back. Shawn Wristen, her father who serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMS provider in Wabasha immediately requested 9-1-1 while also using his training to stabilize her neck and back.

“ She was flown to Mayo due to the potential for head and back trauma. Luckily, in the end, she walked away with scrapes and bruises. But it was a very scary time. I don’t know how they do what they do (first responders),” said Jessica Wristen, Rory’s mom when recalling the incident.

Shawn, even with his training, recalls the sense of extreme relief when Randy Wagoner from the police department arrived first on scene, followed shortly after by the Wabasha Ambulance (Ryan Marking, Stacy Arens, Elliott Kann, Morgan Arnold, Cindy Sheeley) and Chief Darren Sheeley, Dan Arenz, among many other volunteer fire fighters.

“ More than one time, I’ve been grateful for the ambulance being located right here in Wabasha,” said Jessica.

To run a 24-7 service, Wabasha relies on professional paid staff and volunteers, who dedicate hours of training and call time to ensure that Wabasha has 24-7 emergency response. Our volunteer services members come from a variety of day-time jobs from farmers, nurses, social workers, and medical administration, and serve on their weekends, evenings, and days off.

Bryton Miller, started as a Kellogg First Responder when he was only 20-years old after his bus driver Taylor Jordan passed away in a tractor accident. Then he got a call from the Wabasha Ambulance that there was no one available to cover a shift and would he be interested in starting his first shift in a few hours.

From there, he found himself working every night after farming, and 10 years later, Miller is still with the service and has this to say, “I just enjoy it- getting out and helping people.”

He frequently covers shifts with, Tiffany Risch, who joined 25 years ago, with a desire to meet new people, having moved to Wabasha from Alma.

“ My first CPR call was to help my friend’s mom. That was hard but that’s also the part I really enjoy- helping my neighbors ,” says Risch.

One of the service’s newer members is Zach McNallan, who just had started as a public works employee for the City of Wabasha and was asked to help because of his driving skills.

“I dipped my toe in as an EMR driver in November 2024 and fell in love with it and wanted to keep going,” said McNallan. He then went on to complete his EMT training in January 2025.

Both serving as a public works professional and as a volunteer fire fighter and as an EMT gives McNallan the opportunity to experience the rewards of helping others and the variety of just never knowing what you are going to run into.

“ Afterwards, being in a small community, you run into the people you’ve helped and that feels really rewarding,” said Zach.

The Wabasha Ambulance Service members all talked about the incredible teamwork between police, fire, and EMS.

“ Working with police and fire is awesome,” said Risch.

Last year, the Ambulance wrapped up the year with over 1000 calls for service and coverage of 17,500 hours of call time. The Wabasha Ambulance Service could not continue without financial support for the service from the City and surrounding Townships its serves.

The outstanding care the Service provides the community, is also thanks to the leadership by Ryan Marking, Ambulance Director and the EMS providers, whether it be our full-time, part-time, paid on-call/volunteers.

In honor of National EMS Week 2026, the City of Wabasha would like to thank the following individuals for their service:

Full-time staff: Tina Cook, Ryan Marking, Dakkota Moreno, Jade Shingleton, Alyssa Simonson

Part Time staff: Nate Achman, Elliott Kann, Ashley Klamfoth, Colten Kruempel

Volunteers/Paid-on-call: Anna Arens, Dan Arens, Stacy Arens, Morgan Arnold, Amber Becker, Callie Carrels, James Dunham, Joanna Hanson, Sadie Keller, Dawn Kontzelmann, Peter Kraabel, Corey Lewandowsk, Zach McNallan, Brooke Ortega, Tiffany Risch, Cindy Sheeley, Darren Sheeley, Amanda Siemienas, Brandon Tice, Jeff Wallerich, Shawn Wristen