01/30/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Northwest Rescue & Stark County Ambulance Service Awarded Primary Transport Provider for OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford
New agreement expands response coverage, strengthens regional patient access, and establishes a new Northwest Rescue ambulance station adjacent to the medical center.
ROCKFORD, IL January 29, 2026 Team Triage announced today that its subsidiaries, Northwest Rescue and Stark County Ambulance Service, have been awarded the preferred ambulance transport provider contract for OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois—one of the State line region’s leading destinations for advanced, coordinated care.
In addition to the new agreement, Northwest Rescue will also add another local location and operate out of an OSF-owned building located across the street from OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, an established ambulance station that supports rapid deployment and close coordination with hospital teams. This positioning helps strengthen unit readiness, enhance continuity of care, and create a seamless experience for patients and families when every second matters.
OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center—located at 5666 East State Street in Rockford—is designated a Level I Trauma Center, the highest designation in Illinois, and is recognized for comprehensive emergency services and specialty care. Founded in 1899, OSF Saint Anthony has grown to more than 250 beds on a 100-acre campus and serves patients across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
Under the new contract, Northwest Rescue and Stark County Ambulance Service will support OSF Saint Anthony’s needs with a strong clinical and operational backbone, including interfacility transport and non-emergency transportation.
Building on proven service models across Northern Illinois
Northwest Rescue, founded in 2013 in Harvard, Illinois, provides basic life support (BLS), advanced life support (ALS), and critical care transport across the Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin region, with teams trained for high-acuity patient care. Northwest Rescue’s emergency response program also partners with regional fire departments and agencies to strengthen the overall EMS response framework.
Stark County Ambulance Service serves as the primary 9-1-1 emergency care provider for multiple fire districts and provides interfacility transport services for OSF across a broad, multi-territory footprint—including portions of Stark, Marshall, Knox, Bureau, and Henry counties, plus additional service reach through stations supporting the I-80 corridor.
“This is about raising the bar—operationally and clinically,” said Ryan Kurth, CEO Northwest Rescue / Stark County Ambulance Service. “With a dedicated station steps from OSF Saint Anthony and a shared commitment to patient-first care, we’re excited to support the medical center, its caregivers, and the communities it serves.”
What this means for the community:
• Enhanced readiness and response through an adjacent Northwest Rescue ambulance station near OSF Saint Anthony
• Seamless coordination with hospital clinical teams for emergent and interfacility transport needs
• Expanded access to ambulance transport across the region
• A shared focus on compassionate care aligned with OSF HealthCare’s mission to serve with “the greatest care and love”
About Team Triage:
Team Triage is a healthcare services organization focused on building high-performance, patient-centered EMS and medical transport solutions. Northwest Rescue and Stark County Ambulance Service are subsidiaries of Team Triage.
About Northwest Rescue:
Northwest Rescue is a multi-regional transport organization founded in 2013, providing emergency and non-emergency transport, including BLS, ALS, and critical care transport throughout Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.
About Stark County Ambulance Service:
Stark County Ambulance Service provides 9-1-1 emergency care and interfacility transport services across multiple Illinois regions, serving as a primary emergency care provider for numerous fire districts and supporting hospital transport needs.
About OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center:
OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford delivers coordinated, award-winning care and specialty services for the Stateline region and beyond. Founded in 1899, the medical center has more than 250 beds on a 100-acre campus and is designated a Level I Trauma Center in Illinois.
