Spink County Ambulance Service

10/15/2026

🚒🚔🚑 October is First Responders' Appreciation Month in South Dakota!

Governor Larry Rhoden has officially proclaimed October 2026 as First Responders' Appreciation Month - and we couldn't be more proud!

To every firefighter, law enforcement officer, EMT, paramedic, and 911 dispatcher serving our great state - THANK YOU.
You show up in our darkest moments, often as volunteers, with no expectation of reward. You are everyday heroes, and South Dakota is grateful for every single one of you. 💙

To celebrate, SouthDakotaSafetyDays.com is organizing a special event on October 9th and 10th, 2026 -come out and show your support for the heroes who protect us every single day! 🎉

Share this post and tag a first responder who deserves to feel appreciated today! ⭐

10/13/2026

🚨🚨EMT Class Coming This Fall 🚨🚨

Redfield will be hosting an EMT class in Redfield sponsored by the Spink County Ambulance starting the week of November 15th with the cost of class being $500.00.

Informational meeting has been set for November 4th at 6:00pm at the EMS center. At this meeting students will also receive books.

If you are unable to make the meeting please let us know! Zoom link is available for out of town potential students.

For more information or to reserve your spot for the meeting you can directly message our page and we will get back to you with more details! Or you can email Jessica Muellenberg ([email protected])

Stay tuned to our page for future details!

Now is the perfect time to help out your community and become an EMT!

10/08/2026

Don’t forget about the flu shot clinic on October 21st from 7am-6pm at the EMS building.

We are very lucky to have a member of our service also be a child care advocate!

This will be a great resource for our community during the flu shot clinic. If you have children who are nervous to get their flu shot, stop by the building on the 21st between 3-6 to let us help make the experience a little easier!

Embrace Behavior Services will be at the Community Wide Flu Shot Clinic at the Spink County Ambulance Center in Redfield from 3pm-6pm to help provide support and help children feel more comfortable during their flu shots!

A few ways to support your child through shots:

- One voice ONLY should be heard at a time to prevent overwhelm.

- No surprises! Educate your child beforehand. Be simple and come up with a coping plan.

- Validate- acknowledge any feelings and fears. "I know this is hard, you can squeeze by hand".

-Position for comfort- Work with your medical team to utilize therapeutic comfort holds such a sitting up right and hugging a parent.

-Pain Control- Try a cold pack and/or vibrations to help reduce discomfort. Look up Buzzy Bee found on Amazon!

- Offer distraction- My personal favorite tools, bubbles, seek-and-finds, light-up spinners, and tablets.

-Keep the room calm and limit extra people.

It's okay for your child and you to feel nervous! I am eager to support your child with comfort, choices, and encouragement.

09/30/2026

Let's Meet Gabby, EMT
Gabby Suihkonen-Gross
# of years of service?
I just joined Spink County Ambulance in the spring 2026. However, I bring about 5 years of experience with me from an ambulance service in my hometown up in rural Minnesota. I've worked as an EMT for the past 3 years, and an EMR prior.
Family Members?
I live with my husband in Aberdeen. He grew up and attended school right here in Redfield, and my in-laws still live in town.
Place of employment?
I work full-time as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Evaluator for InStride Health, an East Coast-based company providing specialty mental health care for children, teens, and young adults with diagnoses of anxiety, OCD and/or related disorders.
Hobbies?
I enjoy baking (especially sourdough!), spending time with my husband and our families, spending time up in Minnesota, traveling, crafting, sewing, shopping, music, and being outdoors. I also have a love for car shows, cruising in the '74 C10, helping with (or supervising...as he may sometimes call it) my husband's projects, or watching dirt track racing.
What made you become an EMT/Paramedic?
I am a third-generation EMS provider. My late grandfather was an EMT for my hometown's emerging ambulance service and taught CPR in the early days. My mom served as an EMT for 16 years and was the ambulance service director for a handful of years for our hometown department, until a tragic injury while volunteering at a community event resulted in paraplegia ending her career in the summer of 2025. All three of my siblings and I have worked in EMS as either EMRs or EMTs.
I became an EMT to carry on that family legacy, but also because I saw firsthand the critical importance of rural ambulance departments and the desperate need for volunteers. I wanted to be able to jump on calls and provide coverage alongside my family, rather than watching them struggle to find enough responders. Additionally, when I was six years old, a local ambulance crew, including a fellow EMT I have since had the privilege of working with, took care of me. He advocated for my health and treated my family with incredible care and compassion, which left a lasting impact on me.
Most rewarding aspect of your job? I love caring for the community, and having the ability to provide compassion and medical support in some of the hardest, scariest moments of their lives.
Fun fact about yourself. I grew up in Tower, Minnesota a small town of less than 500 people. It's in the northeastern part of Minnesota (the "arrowhead" region if you see Minnesota on a map), on what's known as the Mesabi Iron Range. Known for Iron Ore/ Taconite mining, the coldest recorded temperature in Minnesota (-60* F, no windchill included!), and the 5th largest lake in the state: Lake Vermilion. I enjoy baking (especially sourdough!), spending time with my husband and our families, spending time up in Minn.

09/25/2026

Spink County Ambulance hosted some ladies from the After School Program and the Spink County Daycare for CPR recertification and Dakota Responder First Aide Training! Each participant got to take home a ditch kit for taking part in the training !

09/22/2026

🚑 Ever wonder why an ambulance might load a patient, close the doors… and then just sit there?

Chances are, we’re not just sitting there.

Once a patient is inside the ambulance, the crew has an entire mobile emergency room at their fingertips—cardiac monitors, medications, IV supplies, airway equipment, and much more.

Sometimes, before we ever put the ambulance in drive, we need a few minutes to:

🩺 Assess the patient
❤️ Check vital signs or run an EKG
💉 Start an IV or give medications
🫁 Manage breathing or other immediate concerns
🏥 Determine the best hospital for that patient

That last one is important.

Not every hospital provides the same level of care for every emergency. A stroke, major trauma, or cardiac emergency may require a specific destination—and what we find during our assessment can completely change where we go.

Could we do some of this while driving?Absolutely.

But some things are a whole lot easier—and safer—when we aren't bouncing down the road. 😂

So, the next time you see an ambulance sitting in front of a house after the patient has been loaded, remember:

We’re not wasting time. We’re using it. 🚑💙

09/17/2026

Mission Statement:

The mission of Spink County Ambulance Service is to deliver professional, compassionate emergency medical care to those we serve at the highest possible standards of clinical excellence, prioritizing patient safety, rapid response, and unwavering commitment to public health that benefits the well-being of the rural communities we serve.

09/17/2026

Join us at the EMS Center on October 21st from 7am - 6pm to obtain your flu shot! Photo ID and Insurance Cards are Needed.