Le Center Ambulance celebrates 50 years with communitywide bash

A medical emergency can strike at any time. Whether it be a sudden cardiac arrest, a car accident or a premature baby on the way — residents of Le Center can be assured that in times of crisis the local volunteer ambulance is only a few miles away.

It may be easy to take the community’s access to immediate emergency medical treatment for granted, but Lyle Blaschko of Le Center can remember a time when local residents had to rely on EMTs arriving from New Prague and Montgomery for care.

It was that need for rapid, emergency care which inspired Blaschko, Gary Huber and a group of 16 Le Center community members to charter the Le Center Volunteer Ambulance service on Oct. 1, 1974.

“There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping somebody that needs it,” said Blaschko, who served as the Le Center Volunteer Ambulance’s first president between 1974 and 1995.

In its early days, the Le Center Volunteer Ambulance service was so small that charter members didn’t even have an ambulance to drive. Instead, volunteers transported patients to regional hospitals in the back of a hearse. The vehicle lacked much of the medical equipment the ambulance uses today. There was no IV drip, nor anesthetic, but the original makeshift ambulance nevertheless served to transport Le Center residents faster than any outside provider could.

From humble beginnings, the Le Center Volunteer Ambulance has continued as a mainstay of the community for 50 years. Multiple generations of volunteer EMS providers, from original charter members to recent recruits, came together with the Le Center community to celebrate the ambulance’s five decades of life-saving service during the 50th anniversary bash on Saturday.

While the day was marked by a torrential downpour of heavy rainfall, the skies remained clear just long enough for the 50th anniversary parade to make its way through downtown Le Center. A cavalcade of emergency vehicles joined in the fun alongside local businesses and organizations. Bringing together ambulance volunteers past and present, a float carried the service’s eight living charter members.

A flurry of intense showers started almost as soon as the parade had ended, but the celebration pressed on underneath a tent at the Le Sueur County Fairgrounds. Around a half dozen food trucks surrounded the tent, providing ample opportunity for guests to dine on a wide variety of culinary options while listening to the music of Luke Richards, Shenanigans and Gary West.

Under the pavilion, community members competed in a bean bag tournament before heading into a fairgrounds shed to play a round of bingo. The celebration was capped off with a fireworks display.

Beyond fun and games, the 50th anniversary also featured opportunities for residents to learn more about the ambulance’s history. Guests could find displays of newspaper clippings, old photographs and even a green jumpsuit which originally served as the volunteer ambulance uniform.

Blaschko noted the tools available to the ambulance have developed significantly from when the service was founded. While today, the volunteer ambulance has its own dedicated facility on Cordova Avenue, the original team of 16 worked out of a spare apparatus bay in the Le Center Area Fire building.

Equipment was sparse too. Whereas the modern ambulance service provides a pager to every member to enable quick communication, in 1974 the ambulance only had six pagers in total. Volunteers would work 24/7 shifts and if they wanted a substitute for the week, they would have to find someone to hand off their pager to.

The Le Center ambulance has witnessed many changes over the years. Better access to advanced medical technology, a roster of actual ambulances instead of a hearse, and a dedicated facility for starters, but what hasn’t grown much is membership. Today, the ambulance has a team of just 20 volunteers, only slightly above the ambulance’s staffing levels 50 years ago.

Current Le Center Ambulance President Stan Stocker noted that volunteerism has been on the decline in recent years and with 16 open slots, the service has been on the hunt for new recruits. While handing out 50th anniversary pins to guests, Stocker also handed out his business card to anyone interested in signing up to volunteer.

While a difficult job, Stocker said EMS work is also rewarding, as he can be the person to make a difference in someone’s life when they need help the most.

“Being with all these people when they give a call on their worst day is what keeps me going, I’m just so happy to help them, comfort them,” said Stocker. “It might seem simple or stupid to a lot of people, but it’s their worst day so I’m just so happy to do it and I wish more people had the capacity to do it.”