Gaylord and Ridgeview Ambulance Service merger is under way
Effective Aug. 30, 2020, Ridgeview Ambulance assumed management operations of the City of Gaylord’s ambulance service. Through the new three-year partnership, the Gaylord-based ambulance and responders will arrive to emergency calls and administer necessary medical care.
According to Darel Radde, director of Ridgeview Ambulance, there are approximately 260 ambulance calls per year in Gaylord.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the City of Gaylord and Ridgeview Ambulance service to lead the efforts to increase the level of service and care provided to residents in emergency situations,” Radde said.
Under the new contract, Gaylord ambulance service members are now Ridgeview employees. The City of Gaylord’s advanced life support license was approved by the state of Minnesota’s Emergency Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB) on Oct. 1. Ridgeview now provides one paramedic 12 hours a day, seven days a week and basic life support for the remainder of the shifts.
Response time and providing fast medical service for the community and the level of support, education and ongoing training will ensure a high quality of service and competency for the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
“Our commitment to the safety of residents is critical as we work each day to serve Gaylord and the surrounding communities,” said Sara Burton, paramedic and supervisor of Ridgeview Gaylord Ambulance.
The Ridgeview Gaylord Ambulance team includes front row, left to right: Heather Zellman, EMT; Staci Brandt, EMT; Roberto Mendez, EMR; Mark Brandt, EMT. Back row: Robert Lueth, EMT; Meredith Frauendienst, EMT; Jackie Heitz, EMT; Sara Burton, Paramedic Supervisor; Andrew Trout, EMR; Anthony Draeger, EMT; Joel (Donald) Fralick, EMT; not pictured Don Burgess, EMR; Kristen Johnson, EMT; Patricia Ruffing, EMT and Joshua Theis, EMT.
About Ridgeview Ambulance
Ridgeview Ambulance has a staff of more than 140 emergency response professionals, including paramedics, EMTs and dispatchers. Ridgeview Ambulance is part of the West Metro Emergency Medical Services System and its suburban/rural area covers approximately 950 square miles across four Emergency Medical Services regions and includes all of Carver County, portions of Hennepin, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott, Sibley and Wright counties. Ridgeview’s calls are 9-1-1 responses and transfers with call volume exceeding 15,000 calls annually. Ridgeview maintains a fleet of 18 ambulances, two chase cars and two ATVs for special events. Ridgeview’s state-of-the-art dispatch center is a back-up to Carver County’s 9-1-1 emergency call center.
