2019 marks the Waunakee Area EMS Department’s 40th anniversary of proudly serving the Villages of Waunakee and Dane and the Townships of Westport, Dane, Vienna and Springfield. The department was chartered in 1979 under the direction of George Kolb. What started as an all-volunteer department serving 8,757 citizens and answering 255 calls for service has grown into a combination department with volunteer, part-time and full-time staffing serving 21,735 citizens and answering 1,300 calls for service. Having started with 20 members in 1979, the department is currently at 61 members helping staff our ambulance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Over these last 40 years, Waunakee Area EMS has been at the forefront of innovation, piloting Dane County’s field ECG transmission program and being the first department in the county to move to an EMT I-Tech level service. Both of these ventures were large stepping stones not only for the communities served, but also for the entire emergency medical industry in the area. The time and dedication that it takes to achieve what this department has over the years is no small feat. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and selflessness of every one of the members over the last four decades.
In recognition of the Waunakee Area EMS Department, a special presentation will be made at Ripp Park on July 4th during the Waunaboom festivities. Village President Chris Zellner will lead the presentation from the stage during a live music break. All community members are welcome to be part of celebrating the work of our EMS Department.