Hinsdale County EMS

05/07/2026

Status Update: After discussions between our Medical Director Dr Avery MacKenzie and our EMS Director Katherine Heidt regarding our new medical oversight with consultant Reuben Farnsworth, we are happy to announce that our agency is officially back to ALS status, with our AEMT Captain operating at his full scope of practice.

For calls needing paramedic-level care, we will still be intercepting with Gunnison Valley Health Paramedics or helicopter ambulances, just as we have operated for the past two winters.

Send a message to learn more

05/05/2026

Our students are in the LAST WEEK OF CLASS! Their last hurdle is the final exam on Thursday - send them some good vibes as they study hard ♥️💙

After they complete this EMT course, they will be scheduling their national certification test, which will officially make them EMTs! 🚑🩺

05/01/2026

EMS Appreciation Week this year is May 17-23!

If you would like to send our team a message, please use the form below. We will share the love you send during EMS Week.
https://airtable.com/appbGh1QSKyLFmGgN/pagcCqE8OvIooHBkY/form

Photo by Jake Briggs

04/25/2026

In EMS, we love solving puzzles! Our students are getting very good at it.

For every patient we encounter, we have to find the right pieces and fit them together to understand how we can help, and to be able to give our ER docs a head start.

Over the past month Rowan, Lorie, and Doug have been deep diving into trauma, medical emergencies, pediatric patients, birthing babies, and more!

04/17/2026

Something you probably never thought you'd hear us say:

We are looking for a DnD Dungeon Master!

We have an upcoming training night with our EMT students for a mass casualty incident, and we could use help with some experienced facilitation of this fun (but very educational, of course) exercise. Please let us know if you are someone who can help us out Thursday, April 23, from 6pm-10pm. You bring the 20-sided die, we'll bring the snacks 😁

03/20/2026

An update on our students' progress!

Earlier this month, Lake City Fire hosted ACC's mobile training unit for a weekend of intense skills for the EMT Academy. Instructor Dennis Edgerly spent the weekend running the students through scenarios, where they were able to practice patient care on some realistic manikins that were able to do all sorts of things (including speak, cough, and exhibit real lung sounds and vitals).

Students have begun to learn about trauma and medical conditions. They have been practicing administration of medications, splinting, and so much more. They are well on their way to completing this course in May!

Stay tuned for graduation celebration details.

02/06/2026

ABCs! SAMPLE! OPQRST! DCAP-BTLS! PERRL! AVPU! AAOx4!

EMS is riddled with acronyms, and all of the above are related to patient assessment. Our students have been swimming through letters this week while practicing their patient questioning, vitals, and head-to-toe evaluations. They've also gotten into protecting airways and applying oxygen - two very important sets of skills.

We are loving watching them grow 🌱

01/28/2026

And we're off!
Meet our students: Doug Eby, Cody Parsons, Rowan McNeese, Kyle Harrison, Caron Jones, and Lorie Stewart!

This month our EMT Students have been learning all about equipment, driving ambulances, lifting and moving patients, anatomy, and more. They are a dedicated bunch, and we are already proud to have them on our team. If you see them around town, give them some encouragement - next we'll be stuffing their brains full of medical and trauma information 🩺🫀🫁🧠

12/12/2025

Interested in supporting EMS, but don't want to join the team? Adopt an EMT instead!

In January, we will begin training 6 new volunteer EMTs. HCEMS has secured some grant funding for this course, but the grants aren't quite enough. If you'd like to buy a student their textbook, or a blood pressure cuff, or pitch in for the grant match for their tuition, please see the fundraising drive below:
TIA!

Required text for each student: Jones and Bartlett Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured 12th edition

11/16/2025

Need unlimited coffee?
Want free snacks?
Apply here!
https://airtable.com/appOlvhgoXnZeHFvm/pagCqADyEmtNMYNsI/form

11/14/2025

We could really use your help! Apply here:
https://airtable.com/appOlvhgoXnZeHFvm/pagCqADyEmtNMYNsI/form