TOWER- The Tower Area Ambulance Service (TAAS)had a total of 524 runs in 2023, which included 486 911-calls and 38 non-emergency transfers. This was comparable to the call numbers in 2021 with 489 911-calls and 37 transfers, and up from 2022 which had 439 911-calls and 61 transfers.
EMT Steve Freshour went on 425 of these calls, and ambulance service director EMT Dena Suihkonen did 214 calls. Other EMTs with over 10 calls were D. Boettcher with 42, Ari Picard with 13, Jake Schmidt with 19, Gabby Suihkonen with 45, and Matt Tuchel with 32.
Shawn Gawboy was the busiest EMR with 133 calls, Hemi Ranua had 45 calls, Terry Joki-Martin with 49, and ambulance assistant director Karin Schultz had 45. Other EMRs with at least 10 calls were Steve Burgess with 15, Robert Dicasmirro with 32, Olivia Haavisto with 16, Jessie Hinkel with 41, and Steve Peterson with 12. The service had 10 active EMTs and 14 active EMRs on the service in 2023.
The service had 59 ALS-intercept calls (average of 1.1 per week), where paramedics from either Virginia or Ely provided advanced care, and 4 air medical transports. Essentia-Virginia was the destination for 161 calls, Cook Hospital for 59, Ely-Bloomenson for 42. There were 83 calls where the patient was treated in place and not transported, and 78 calls that were either canceled or required no treatment.
The city of Tower was the location for 125 calls, followed by 98 calls on the Bois Forte Reservation, 63 at Fortune Bay, 49 in Breitung, 45 in Greenwood, 18 in Embarrass, 25 in Vermilion Lake Township, 16 in Kugler, 20 in Eagles Nest, and others that originated at Essentia Virginia, Cook Hospital, Ely-Bloomenson, Scenic Rivers, and 18 mutual aid calls.
Injuries were the largest reasons for calls (102), followed by sickness (75), pain/bleeding (43), chest pain/cardiac (62), behavorial/psych (26), alcohol/drugs (25), respiratory issues (27), stroke (15), motor vehicle accident (34), and fewer than 10 calls each for diabetic issues, allergic reactions, STEMI, snowmobile accidents, water accidents, and fire injuries. There were 33 assist, 38 transfers, and 10 events where the ambulance provided stand-by service.
The busiest months were June, July, September, and December. The slowest months were January, February, and November.
The ambulance service received on-site assistance from the Breitung Police, Tower Fire, Fortune Bay EMS, Eagles Nest Fire/EMS, Greenwood Fire/EMS, Ely Area Ambulance, Pike-Sandy Britt, St. Louis County Sheriff, Virginia Fire/Ambulance, Air Medical, Vermilion Lake Fire/EMS, Ely Fire Department, Bois Forte BIA, and other EMS and police agencies.
The service currently has two rigs. The newer 2019 GMC 4500 has been in service for four years and has a total of 77,793 miles, with 16,712 miles driven in 2023. This rig is rated as good condition. The older 2013 GMC 4500 has been in service for 10 years, and has 121,675 miles, with 3,502 driven in 2023. This rig is rated in less than fair condition. The service drove 6,748 in transfer miles in 2023 for 38 runs.