Marthasville Ambulance District

08/20/2026

A big THANK YOU to Schaefer Door for the excellent (and same-day) service on our bay door yesterday.

08/09/2026

I CAN DO MAGIC
Posted 08/08/2026, 8:55 PM

David Copperfield was a famous magician - excuse me, “illusionist” - in the 1980’s. One of his biggest claims to fame was an illusion in which he made a Lear Jet disappear.

I can do better than that. I can make an ambulance disappear. All I need is:

✅ An ambulance
✅ A cornfield

Why is that better than a Lear Jet? Because mine is not an illusion.

The first image below is an intersection not far from our base. If you were driving on the gravel road approaching the intersection, and an ambulance was approaching the same intersection from right to left, would you see it? Probably not.

See? Magic!🪄

In the same circumstance, you are just as invisible to us as we are to you. Magic again! 🪄🪄

Of course, you’d almost certainly hear us before we came into view, but it’s not uncommon for motorists to (probably) hear our sirens, yet not stop or yield until they actually see us. If I were going to create a Baby Yoda meme, it would probably go something like “It’s like the wee-woo, wee-woo has no effect without the flashy-flashy.”

What’s around the bend in the road - someone broken down on the shoulder? An approaching vehicle hugging the center line? Could be someone towing a wide load, or slow-moving farm equipment, or a line of cyclists. We can’t see around the corner, and neither can you, so we don’t know - and neither do you.

We share the roads with you, and we share the responsibility for roadway safety as well.
. . You knew I was going to do the Baby Yoda thing, right? 😀

08/03/2026

⚠️ CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY ⚠️
Posted 03 August 2026, 11:36 AM

If you’re in or around downtown Marthasville over the next few days, you’ll see some construction happening at the bottom of our ramp. Nothing too serious - just some erosion around the drainage pipes - but it needs to be addressed.

Please drive with caution in the area. The equipment, dust, and workers can be distracting to drivers, so let’s do our best to give those folks a safe work environment.

Our capabilities will not be affected, as we can enter from and exit to East
South Street.

07/30/2026

Wishing everyone a great day!

07/29/2026

WHO DO I BELONG TO?
Posted 29 July 2026, 2:12 PM

Hi! Does anyone recognize me? I strolled into the bay at the Marthasville Community Ambulance District a few minutes ago. I got some water, and a lot of pets, but I’d really like to come home. If you’re my family, can you please call these nice people? (636) 359-0162.

07/16/2026

Found it!

I walked away from a coffee mug this morning. Searched pretty much the whole building for it - no luck - until I walked outside this afternoon.

I’m not what anyone would describe as a morning person, but I’m probably more of a morning person that a lot of people and certainly more of a morning person now that I ever was. First come the mission-critical requirements: vehicle checks, equipment inventories, etc.

Then I do this: I sit on the wall, put my coffee on the guardrail, answer a few emails, open my day planner, and try to determine how well my day will match my plan. Sometimes it’s close, sometimes not even. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I also wave at people: people driving to work, school buses when school is in session, City of Marthasville folks (who are also up early). Pretty much everyone waves back, and that’s gratifying, because it doesn’t happen everywhere.

Community — It’s a benefit of rural EMS that can’t be defined or evaluated by statistics, but it is very real and we are very grateful.

07/04/2026

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Here’s the view from inside our “office.” If your view is similar, say, from inside a patrol car, fire truck, or dispatch center, thanks for standing with us at the ready!

And there are many more people working today than just emergency responders. If that’s you, let us know! Drop a comment with where you are and what you do. This is a public page, so please don’t share personal information or anything to which your employer might object . . . 😉

And remember - let’s be careful out there!

07/03/2026

The Marthasville Community Ambulance District extends our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and work family of Ralph Hellebusch. Many members of our staff worked with or for Ralph at some point during their careers and all held him in high regard. He was completely dedicated to his profession and the community he served, and will be deeply missed.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of retired Chief Ralph Hellebusch. Ralph was one of the district’s first employees when it was established in 1974, dedicating 36 years of service to our community before retiring in 2018.

In 1982, he was appointed to oversee district operations and later became Chief, guiding the district through decades of growth. During his tenure, he oversaw major expansions to meet rising call volumes as the county population increased—adding ambulances, hiring additional staff, and building new bases to ensure timely, reliable emergency response across the district.

Visitation will be held Monday, July 6th from 4–8 PM at Martin Funeral Home in Warrenton, MO.
Funeral services will take place Tuesday, July 7th at 10 AM at Holy Rosary Catholic Church.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Ralph’s family and loved ones. His legacy of service, leadership, and dedication will never be forgotten.

06/29/2026

EXTREME HEAT WARNING
Posted 06/29/2026, 7:14 AM

The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning, effective through 10:00 PM Friday, for Warren and many of our neighboring counties. In fact, there are 29 states currently under some type of heat watch, advisory, or warning.

Heat Index Values are expected to approach, and in some cases exceed 105 degrees; overnight “low” temperatures will be in the mid-to-upper 70’s.

Heat-related illnesses are sneaky, and often cumulative. A person might feel “fine” after the first day or two of exposure, but not so much as days three, four, and five go by.

✅ Stay hydrated; drink plenty water.
✅ If you must be outdoors, take frequent breaks in the shade.
✅ Check on friends, neighbors, and family.
✅ Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you believe someone is suffering a heat-related emergency.

06/27/2026

HEAT ADVISORY
Posted 06/27/2026, 11:00

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Warren and many of our neighboring counties. This advisory becomes effective at noon on Sunday (06/28/2026) and persists through midnight Thursday night (07/02/2026).

Heat Index Values exceeding 100 degrees, sometimes exceeding 105 degrees, are expected each day. The current forecast for Heat Index Values is —

Sunday- 106
Monday - 106
Tuesday - 107
Wednesday - 105
Thursday - 103

These conditions can be deadly to a child (or a pet) left alone in a vehicle.

✅ Stay hydrated.
✅ If you must be outdoors, take breaks in the shade.
✅ Be a good neighbor. If you know someone who is susceptible to the heat, or has chronic health conditions, or maybe faces challenges keeping the utilities turned on, take a minute to check in with them.
✅ Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you believe someone is suffering a heat-related health emergency.