Cherokee County EMS -Kansas

10/21/2026

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Let’s do a little Q&A 🤔

Drop your best EMS related questions
below ⬇️

10/20/2026

10/08/2026

One of our Columbus ambulances was out at the Virginia Crossland Early Education Center ( SEKCAP Head Start) participating in their Community Helpers program.

The kiddos were able to step inside the ambulance, see some of the equipment, and ask questions.

We always enjoy getting out in the community doing outreach programs such as this.

I you, your organization, or your business would like us to bring an ambulance out to tour or if you would like us to speak to your organization about the various services our department offers, please feel free to contact us and we will set something up.

( out of respect and privacy of the children, no pictures of any of the students or staff were included in this post)

09/19/2026

On September 18th between the hours of 6 PM and midnight several members of our department joined with members of the West Mineral Fire Department, Weir Fire Department, Cherokee Township Fire Department, Scammon Fire Department, Columbus Fire Department, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department and SWAT team and members of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks in real world multiagency training Friday evening in the mined wildlife area surrounding West Mineral.

One scenario involved a report of two individuals that had had an accident while riding on their UTV in one of the many strip pit areas left over from mining operations that ran from the 1800’s through the 1960’s

No exact location was given and crews from all departments were tasked with determining where to begin looking for these individuals amongst the 14,500 acres of land with over 1000 bodies of water that make up the Mined Land Wildlife Area.

Crews established a central command and staging area to accommodate the search and rescue teams and equipment that would be required to access the many areas that would require searching, some of which were only accessible on foot due to damaged or nonexistent access roads.

Once located the victims were treated as though it was an actual emergency response with EMS crews assessing the victims for injuries and utilizing airway and bleeding management techniques as well as establishing IV access and medication administration through the use of a “IV arm training tool.”

This scenario culminated in triaging the two victims to determine which needed more immediate transport and then coming up with and executing a plan to move all patients, rescue personnel and equipment out of the search area and back to the staging area where the victims would be transferred to the waiting ambulance and transported to the hospital.

The second scenario involved a car stop that resulted in an officer involved shooting where the injured officer would need to be located and safely evacuated all while the assailant was still on the loose in the area. This scenario would evolve into a manhunt with involvement of the SWAT team when the assailant continued to “fire” on the officers and other rescuers eventually leading to his being wounded prior to his apprehension.

Again, the patients were assessed and treated as though this was an actual incident and transported as such after which all participants debriefed and discussed what worked and what could have been done differently.

While we strive to maintain a good working relationship with all of our law enforcement and fire department partners, training opportunities such as this allow us to come together and put into practice how we would respond as a unified group to incidents that we would not encounter during our typical day to day responses.

We would like to Thank everyone that participated in this event and look forward to more training like this in the future.

Special Thanks to the West Mineral Fire Department and the City of West Mineral for allowing us to utilize your station as our primary staging and debriefing location. Without you help now of this would have been possible.

Also a special Thanks to our training coordinator Korey Lucian who designed, implemented, and oversaw this training exercise. Thank you sir, it was definitely an experience.

09/15/2026

On August 27-29, two members of our service, Karsten Creech and Korey Lucian, took part in a specialized training course offered by the Red Dirt Medical Group at the Spring Valley Ranch in Eucha, Ok.

This Tactical Emergency Casualty Care course, or TECC, is geared toward preparing responders for the challenges that they could face when operating in conditions where resources are limited and access to definitive care is delayed.

During the 2 1/2 day training course, the students participated in both classroom activities as well as intense outdoor day and night scenarios that challenged them to think outside the box and adapt their responses to meet and defeat situations that they would not normally face during a typical patient encounter. The experience was made even more realistic with the use of pyrotechnics and moulage that allowed the students to experience added stressors and simulated severe wounds that are typically only verbalized during traditional training sessions.

While we hope that we never have to put this training to the test, we appreciate the time and dedication that our employees have shown in enduring this grueling training and look forward to them sharing the knowledge that they have gained with the rest of our team as we continue to strive to provide our citizens and our communities with the best Emergency Medical Care possible

08/14/2026

EMT CLASS UPDATE:

Tonight was trauma assessment and management.

Our students enjoyed some lecture over trauma management and were then able to put that knowledge into practice by demonstrating various skills such as wound packing, the proper use of tourniquets, and various other trauma management techniques.

As these students continue to inch closer and closer to the end of classes, they have also been given the opportunity to gain real world experience and knowledge by participating in ride along shifts with our various EMS crews throughout the county. This type of training allows the students to see firsthand the varying degree of calls and situations that EMS personnel deal with every day.

But the ride along experience does not stop at just observation, as the students, under the watchful eyes of our proctors, are expected to be hands on with the patients and in some cases even take the lead on calls This type of training allows the students to become more confident in their knowledge and skills and further prepare them to eventually take their state board examination.

We continue to be very proud of each one of these students and their commitment not only to bettering themselves, but bettering their communities as well. 

07/29/2026

New technology is now in play that will help us provide better care for the citizens of Cherokee County.

Media Release: July 29, 2026
Contact Person: Sheriff Brian Henderson
(620) 429-3992
Topic: Upgrades to Cherokee County Emergency 911 center

People calling the Cherokee County Emergency Communications Center will notice a major change when speaking to our Emergency Telecommunicators. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for dispatching services to all Law Enforcement, Fire Departments, and EMS for agencies in Cherokee County, and we have recently partnered with Power Phone, which gives Emergency Telecommunicators the ability to thoroughly document and give real time instructions to those that are calling during an emergency.

According to Cherokee County Communications Manager Laura Meador; “This program has over 80 interactive scripts for law, fire, and EMS emergencies designed to help our telecommunicators provide the highest level of service to our citizens.

They are now able to provide lifesaving instructions over the phone such as CPR guidance, bleeding control or other first aid instructions while responders are on their way.

Those calling 911 may be asked more questions than before, but that does not delay emergency responders being dispatched. While information is being gathered it is automatically imported into our Computer System allowing responders to see real time data. The additional information will help us quickly determine exactly what is happening. This allows us to immediately send the correct responders and equipment, while prioritizing critical emergencies.”

EMD has already proven to be vital in the short time it has been in service at the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency Telecommunicators have been able to give information to help a choking victim, CPR, and other medical emergencies. We have received positive feedback from Emergency Responders throughout the county, who now receive updated information and are better prepared to give care upon arrival at the scene.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is committed to upgrading our systems to provide the best possible service to the citizens of Cherokee County. Our Emergency Telecommunicators have received training in this program, while also receiving certification from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO). Sheriff Henderson stated; “We cannot put a value on someone’s life and if we can save just one life by implementing this program it will be worth it.”

07/26/2026

Three of our off duty personnel are assisting our neighbors to the north in Crawford County with EMS operations at the Million-Dollar Fireworks Festival being held at the Camptown Complex north of Frontenac.

Crawford County EMS had reached out, earlier this week, to surrounding EMS agencies to request any personnel willing to assist in covering this massive gathering.

Two EMT’s and a Paramedic from our service answered the call and will be assisting in manning the medical tents and responding as needed to emergencies in the crowd.

Thank You for stepping up and leading a hand, EMT’s Erin C***s and Ryan Morgan, and Paramedic Liz Curtis

07/24/2026

Please join us in congratulating two of our own on completing their training and graduating MSSU’s Paramedic Program.

Kylie Livingston and Randy Sandberg Jr. , who are both currently EMT’s, have completed all requirements to sit for their National Registry exam which is the final educational hurdle that they face on their journey to becoming Certified Paramedics.

Congratulations to the both of you and good luck on your testing, you both will do great.

07/17/2026

Update on the current EMT class.

Our students participated in extrication scenarios tonight in conjunction with a training exercise being performed by the Columbus Fire Department.

Our students learned how to properly approach vehicles, how to look for obvious and hidden dangers, and ways to safely gain access to patients.

Students then learned, and put into practice, various emergent and non emergent patient moving techniques.

All of this was being done while the fire department practiced various extraction techniques, which added a “real world feel ,”to our students experience.

We wish to thank the Columbus Fire Department for allowing us to piggyback our student’s training with yours.