Clintonville Area Ambulance is a nonprofit, community-owned service providing paramedic-level care with critical-care endorsement to three counties. Its experienced staff is active in local safety and training initiatives.
By Mindy Henning
Clintonville Area Ambulance Service is a nonprofit governmental agency and has been in existence since 1980. The service has been progressing and has slowly grown, not only in size, but also in the communities served.
The service is known as a third service municipal agency, which truly means it is owned by the community and is not a private entity. Leaders from each municipality served provide a member on an ambulance commission that meets monthly.
Today the service encompasses more than 500 square miles and serves a population just shy of 13,000. The communities served cover three counties: Waupaca, Shawano and Outagamie. Within these counties are the cities of Clintonville and Marion; the villages of Bear Creek, Big Falls and Embarrass; and the townships of Bear Creek, Deer Creek, Dupont, Grant, Larrabee, Matteson, Navarino and Wyoming.
Clintonville Area Ambulance Service provides paramedic-level care with critical-care endorsement, which is currently the highest level available. It has two ambulances that are staffed 24/7/365 with a paramedic and EMT or advanced EMT. It runs its calls out of two locations, one in Clintonville and one in Marion. It has two backup units, one in Clintonville and one in Bear Creek. The service responds to approximately 1,150 calls per year.
Currently the service is directed by Don Kimlicka, who has been involved in EMS for more than 35 years. Don is a licensed critical care paramedic and is very active with state and local EMS government, as well as the American Heart Association and the technical college system.
Clintonville’s medical director is Dr. Beth Lux, who is very active and supportive. The ambulance staff comes from a roster of highly trained, dedicated individuals of around 35. Clintonville Area Ambulance Service is involved in the community, offering CPR and first aid courses, safety presentations and training to local businesses, fundraising, and assisting Erickson’s Pharmacy in providing flu vaccinations. Several staff members are trained as child passenger safety technicians and offer car seat checks at various times throughout the year at the station.
The goals of Clintonville Area Ambulance Service are to continually expand and enhance the care provided in the communities it serves.
