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Caledonia Ambulance Service continues to serve area residents
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Ever wonder who the persons are manning the ambulances dispatched out in the middle of the night to help a person suffering from heart attack, or someone seriously injured in a car accident?
For persons living in the Caledonia area, its the 14 dedicated men and women who are members of the Caledonia Ambulance Service (CAS). May 18 - 24 had been designated at Emergency Medical Services Week, and the Caledonia Argus wishes to salute the brave men and women who donate their talents and time to provide this very valuable service.
“We’ve got a great bunch of people. They are dedicated to provide the best emergency medical service possible to the Caledonia area,” CAS Director Mike Tornstrom said. “Between our 14 members, we have more than 150 years of experience, all EMT certified, two also certified as register nurses and two as paramedics.”
The CAS fleet includes two ambulances. At least two EMTs are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They answer about 300 calls per year. The CAS service area includes all or parts of nine townships in Houston County and parts of three townships in Alamakee County in Iowa. CAS also has mutual aid contracts with the cities of Spring Grove, Houston, and Tri State Ambulance of La Crosse.
To become EMT certified, a person has to complete a minimum of 140 hours of training, although CAS EMTs are required to take an additional 20 hours of training. To become a paramedic, a person must earn an Associate of Arts degree (two-year college degree) and 1,500 hours of training.
CAS staff are also required to take 48 hours of continuing education each year. The majority of that training is conducted in Caledonia, since CAS is a licensed training center for the state.
Tornstrom said CAS prides itself on its quick response time, which during a medical emergency can mean the difference between life and death.
According to the most recent statistics, over 80 percent of the calls in 2007, the response time was less than five minutes. Nine percent of the calls had a response time of six to 10 minutes and the majority less than 15 minutes.
“We do cover a large area, (nearly 250 square miles) so a few of the calls are to the far reaches of our coverage area,” Tornstrom said. “But for the most part, we are able to get to the scene quite quickly.”
Current CAS staff
Members of the CAS and number of years of service include: Mark Schiltz- 20; Mike Tornstrom- 18; Kelli Tornstrom- 15; Pat Lemke- 15; Robert Lemke- 15; Traci Heaney- 12; Norene Schwirtz- 10; Mary Betz- 6; Nichole DeWall- 6; Joannie Schmidt- 3; Kimberly Klug- 2, Allan Johnson 1, Nathan Speltz 1, and Kristin Buege, who is a new recruit.
Working with community
To keep a more visible presence in the community, and also help train area residents with life-saving techniques, CAS offers between 20 and 25 training sessions per year. They have two certified instructors who offer classes in CPR, first aid, and EMT and First Responder refresher courses.
“The training sessions are a win-win situation for us,” Tornstrom explained. “They keep us more visible in the community, we are able to provide important training to the public, we are able to expose potential recruits to the various services we provide, and they also bring in some extra income to help us with our operating expenses.
“The Caledonia area has done a great job of supporting our efforts. Could we use more members…of course we could. At the current staff, we are able to cover the hours, but a larger staff is always a benefit to everyone. If anyone is interested in finding out more about CAS, they can contact me,” Tornstrom concluded.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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