Truman Ambulance

05/24/2026

Meet the crew!! Next up Barb Kubly

Serving since January 2018
EMT (Rig Captain)

I had watched my sister for years being an EMT ( even helped her study by giving her study group quizzes). I started helping behind the scenes with water / cookies / fundraiser's or just helped wherever they needed. I had thought about becoming an EMT for along time but wasn't sure if I could do it so I talked with a few of the EMT's and they encouraged me to do it so I took the BIG step and started classes. I have to say I'm so glad that I did.

I enjoy helping people. They call at possibly the worst time of their life and you walk in and they are scared, nervous,hurt or even embarrassed but they see you and know we are there to help them. I have personally never had anyone get mad or upset for us being there. They are very thankful for us even for the simplest things.

Memorable moments? I have to say for myself the good outweighs the bad. I remember the Northrop elevator fire. I had not taken my national test yet (3 days later I did) but I was on scene for hours helping with whatever was needed. Seeing all the different Fire Dept's there to help with the small community was unbelievable.

Advise? If anyone is thinking about joining the ambulance and not sure please just talk to anyone on the ambulance and ask questions. Don't think "oh I could never do that", I thought that and I was wrong. The feeling you get when you know you have helped someone is a feeling you never forget. I work along side my sister and 2 niece's but the rest of the crew is also family ( whether you want them or not lol).
It does take time and commitment but it's not always "work". We have been known to get other EMS agencies involved with a fun game of wiffle ball.

Thank you for all you do for the department!

05/23/2026

Meet our Assistant Director Matthew Lange

Serving Since/ years you have been on? January of 2016 10 years

Current Position: Paramedic, Assistant Director and Field Training Officer (FTO)

Why did you want to join the Ambulance?
I wanted to join the ambulance service because I’ve always been drawn to helping people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. I was interested in emergency medicine, but I also liked the idea of working in an environment where every day is different and where teamwork really matters. Being able to make a direct impact on someone’s outcome, even in small ways, is what motivated me to get involved.

What do you enjoy most about being a Paramedic?
What I enjoy most is the ability to help people when they are scared, hurt, or unsure of what’s happening. I enjoy the challenge of critical thinking and patient care, especially when situations are fast paced and require calm decision-making. I also appreciate the relationships built with partners, EMS crews, nurses, firefighters, and law enforcement — it really feels like a team effort.

Are there any memorable moments you would like to share?
There are a lot of memorable calls, but the ones that stand out most are usually the moments where simple actions make a big difference for a patient or family member. Sometimes it’s helping calm someone during a medical emergency, seeing a critically ill patient improve after treatment, or supporting families through difficult situations. Those moments remind me why EMS is important and why compassion matters just as much as medical care.

Any advice for others wanting to join the Ambulance?
My biggest advice would be to come in with a willingness to learn and a good attitude. You don’t have to know everything right away — EMS teaches you a lot through experience. Be dependable, ask questions, and learn from the people around you. It’s a challenging field at times, but it’s also incredibly rewarding if you enjoy helping others and working as part of a team.

Thank you for your service and everything you do for our Ambulance!

05/22/2026

Another EMT spotlight here is one of our rig captains Brandi 'Weihe' Stohs !

Since December 2017

EMT (Rig captain)

I have always had a passion for helping others ( even animals) and watching my mom be an EMT , I have always wanted to follow in her footsteps steps, and what better way than to also join the ambulance

Everything- the ability to use my training to help those who need us.

Memorable moments are those that have a positive outcome.

Advice: have compassion- we are responding to those at their worst moments. learn and ask questions. Be open minded.

05/21/2026

We want to introduce our Ambulance crew as we wrap up ems week.
Starting off with our director Josh Kitzerow ! Thank you Josh for all you do for us as an ambulance and for what you do in the community!

I joined the ambulance in 2007. I wanted to be a firefighter And I thought this was the first step to get there. I'd also played a lot of sports growing up and got hurt a lot so I had some experience in treatment as well. My current position is ambulance director

What I love most about EMS is helping people. It's nice to know that in the middle of the night or anytime you can show up when people ask for help they don't care who you are your background your history any of that they just know you're here to help. It's also amazing to meet some of our patients out in normal life when they're not needing help and to hear the stories of what they remember.

So far through my career there is many memorable moments some good some bad, I don't like to dwell on the bad but some of the good things have come out of bad situations. I remember being able to help keep a young man alive long enough to get him to a hospital in return he was able to donate his body to many people and save over 22 people, or the time I was shopping at Walmart and the lady that was checking me out had a very familiar voice but I didn't know why, I started asking her if she was from Truman , if she've ever had her car towed, We laughed, then I said have you ever been in the back of an ambulance and instantly she started crying, she came running around the cash register and gave me the biggest hug I've ever had and then told me the story how she was in Truman and our ambulance quickly identified her issue and transported her to the hospital where they loaded her in a helicopter and she died three times. The doctor said without Truman ambulances quick response and thorough treatment she wouldn't be alive today. She didn't know any of us she never met us before but she remembered my voice.

Things like that are what keep me going and EMS
The best advice I would have for anyone wanting to join the ambulance is please please reach out to anyone on any ambulance Even with just questions. We have opportunities that we can let you do simulated runs with us, You can come to our training nights and see what it's about, and possibly we could set up right alongs so you can see what actual runs are like. Don't be afraid of becoming an EMT because of TV shows like Chicago fire that show unrealistic situations talk to the people that are actually doing it.

05/17/2026

🚨 Happy EMS week! As we kick off EMS Week, we want to take a moment to recognize every member of the Truman EMS family for the work you do each day across Martin and watonwan county's.

This week is about celebrating the commitment, professionalism, compassion, and resilience that define our crews. The work is not easy. The hours are longer than anyone likes to admit. The expectations are high. Yet every day, you continue to show up for our patients AND each other.

Truman Ambulance has become recognized across the region and state because of the people wearing this patch. From clinical excellence, you continue to set the standard for what modern EMS should look like.

THANK YOU for the sacrifices YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES make. Thank you for serving with pride. And thank you for representing Truman Ambulance with integrity every single day.

We are proud of you, and honored to stand beside you.

05/14/2026

Congratulations Roger! One of the best! We loved doing house burn trainings with this guy!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Roger Carlson on his retirement from the Fairmont Fire Department.
We can't thank you enough for the 51 years of service and dedication you have given us. Your years of commitment, knowledge and leadership are unprecedented. You truly are one of a kind.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all dedicated mothers, with special recognition to the mothers of Ems.

05/04/2026

Congratulations to our brothers in Mankato on a successful life-saving intervention. Additionally, congratulations to the YMCA staff who promptly identified the cardiac arrest and administered CPR. Congratulations to Bob!

🚨 Life Saving & Medical Intervention Awards 🚨

On January 30, 2026, Mankato Public Safety responded to an unresponsive adult at the YMCA.

Before first responders arrived, YMCA staff members Katie Murphy and Warren Peterson immediately began CPR and used an AED, providing critical, life-saving care in those first moments.

Firefighters Robert Atzenhoefer and Keith Klinder continued advanced care, including airway management and defibrillation, helping the patient regain a pulse before transport.

👏 Please join us in recognizing:
• Katie Murphy – Citizen Life Saving Award
• Warren Peterson – Citizen Life Saving Award
• Firefighter Robert Atzenhoefer – Medical Intervention Award
• Firefighter Keith Klinder – Medical Intervention Award

This is a powerful example of how early action by bystanders, combined with advanced care from first responders, saves lives.

04/12/2026

Thank you to the heros behind the head sets! The first calm voice you hear when you call 911!

🎧 Honoring Our Heroes Behind the Headset 🚓🚒🚑

It’s National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, and we want to take a moment to recognize the calm voices in the storm—our 911 Dispatchers.

While you may never see their faces, these dedicated individuals are the true first responders. They are the lifeline for our deputies and first responders in the field and the ones who talk our citizens through the moments they never expect to have.

Whether it's during the day, night, or a holiday, they’re here 24/7/365—handling the calls and coordinating the help that keeps our community safe.

To our Dispatchers: Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your unwavering commitment to the citizens and first responders of Watonwan County. We appreciate everything you do!

https://youtu.be/VP8cSjbX-Wo?si=6K6nbZenzdadMNaR

11/28/2025

Please be very careful in the next few days as traveling will be difficult. It appears the storm system has turned and is now coming directly for us. Continue to watch local news feeds in the sheriff's department for more updates