Watertown Fire Rescue Highlights Lifesaving Innovation and Rural Challenges for National EMS Week 2026
- Steve Jurrens
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - In recognition of National EMS Week 2026, representatives from Watertown Fire Rescue sat down to share an inside look at the evolving world of Emergency Medical Services. This year’s national theme, “Improving Outcomes Together,” serves as a backdrop to highlight not only the incredible technological advancements in modern medicine but also the critical challenges facing rural first responders.
The interview featured EMS Chief Gary Langerock and Firefighter/Paramedic Blaine Marlow, who discussed everything from advanced local survival statistics to the mental health protocols keeping their crew safe.
The History and Daily Focus of EMS Week
First established by President Gerald Ford in 1974, National EMS Week is sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). Each day of the week emphasizes a specific pillar of emergency care:
· Sunday: Health and Wellness Day
· Monday: Education Day (highlighting the 60 hours of continuing education required every two years for recertification)
· Tuesday: EMS Safety Day
· Wednesday: EMS for Children Day
· Thursday: Save a Life Day
· Friday: EMS Recognition Day
· Saturday: EMS Remembrance Day
“When you look at the history of the world, EMS is really in its infancy,” noted Chief Langerock, tracing the origins of medical corps back to ancient Rome and Napoleon’s first flying ambulances, before fast-forwarding to the systemic setups born out of the American Civil War.
Modern Technology: “An Extra Person on the Crew”
Watertown Fire Rescue operates essentially as an “emergency room on wheels.” Marlow and Langerock highlighted two pieces of advanced technology that have completely changed the field:
The Lucas CPR Device
An automatic chest compression machine is carried on every Watertown ambulance. Marlow described the device as essentially “another person” on the team. It delivers perfect-depth, perfectly timed chest compressions indefinitely, eliminating the human fatigue factor during prolonged lifesaving efforts.
Stryker Power-Load Cots
Automated stretcher systems that lift and load patients into the ambulance at the touch of a button. With patients frequently weighing up to 400 or 500 pounds, this technology is vital for preventing debilitating back injuries among first responders.
Beating the National Average: Cardiac Arrest Survival
One of the standout revelations from the interview was Watertown’s impressive cardiac arrest survival data. Taken from the national CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival) database, the statistics paint a clear picture of local excellence:
Metric | National Average | Watertown Average |
Cardiac Arrest Survival Rate | ~10.5% | ~17.5% |
Chief Langerock attributed this higher survival rate to rapid response times, early bystander CPR, and the immediate deployment of advanced paramedic care.
A Critical Call to Action
First responders stress that bystander intervention is the ultimate bottleneck. Statistics show that 58% of cardiac arrests happen at home, and 37% happen in public.
“A person’s chance of survival decreases by 10% for every single minute they go without CPR,” Langerock warned. Residents are heavily encouraged to take a local CPR class or rely on 911 dispatchers, who are fully trained to coach bystanders through chest compressions over the phone.
Recognizing Stroke Symptoms: BE FAST
The department also emphasized the updated BE FAST acronym to help the public recognize the signs of a stroke immediately:
· B - Balance: Sudden dizziness or loss of coordination.
· E - Eyes: Sudden vision changes or loss of sight in one or both eyes.
· F - Face Drooping: One side of the face sags or is numb.
· A - Arm Weakness: One arm drifts downward when raised.
· S - Speech Slurred: Difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
· T - Time to call 911: Also notes the sudden onset of a severe headache.
Supporting Rural EMS and First Responder Mental Health
While Watertown benefits from a paid, full-time staff who are dual-trained as firefighters and paramedics, the surrounding rural communities rely almost entirely on volunteers. These individuals manage regular full-time jobs while responding to calls on their own time.
Rising equipment costs and flat revenues have put many rural and “super rural” EMS districts in South Dakota under severe financial strain. To address this, the state legislature is conducting a summer study to explore enhanced funding mechanisms to ensure these vital community resources can keep their doors open.
Finally, the department highlighted the importance of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Watertown features a peer-driven CISM team designed to help firefighters, paramedics, and police officers debrief and decompress after experiencing traumatic calls.
“The guys at the department are almost like family,” Marlow said, noting that informal kitchen-table debriefings remain one of their strongest tools for processing the daily trauma of the job.
