Safety is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of a well-structured community, which is why having a fire and police force is so vital for its success. To have one means having protected and well-cared-for residents, the backbone of any resilient neighborhood. As a result, the city of West Concord made no delay in its search for a new Ambulance Director, whose responsibilities ensure that the city and surrounding townships receive the proper emergency response. Though West Concord typically staffs trained volunteers for fire, rescue, medical, and natural disasters, having a full-time paid position for this role was imperative for its longevity. In previous months, the Dodge Center Ambulance had to cover daytime shifts to help make up for the loss of longtime volunteers. Any calls they took as the primary ambulance set West Concord back $34 an hour alongside their base wages, leading them to start the search for a new director.
Once hired, the city could keep funds within the community and not rely on Dodge Center for everyday coverage. As a result, a council meeting was held in August to discuss this job's responsibilities alongside the fire and police budget. With this new position came a slight structure change in West Concord's ambulance service. The new Ambulance Director had to be willing to take more calls, be present in the community, and contribute more than in the past. Finding the right match within such criteria was more challenging than expected, and plans to hire someone by late November were quickly discarded. Locating the right fit potentially meant looking nationally and relocating this potential candidate. Ultimately, however, after many months of searching and a new year on the calendar, West Concord found its match: Adam La Plount of Owatonna. To understand more about Adam's responsibilities and expectations as the city's new Ambulance Director, read the following interview:
Please tell us about yourself and the backstory leading to this new position.
Adam: I am 50 years old and live in Owatonna with my fiancé. Public safety is the area of expertise I've worked in for most of my career, allowing me to gain the proper experience necessary for a role like this. After earning degrees in law enforcement and emergency management, I've been a paramedic since 2001. Having worked in all levels of EMS, from volunteer to pay-per-call and full-time, I've held leadership roles at most of the services I worked for.
What new responsibilities does this role entail? What will you be doing?
As the full-time Ambulance Director, I am responsible for operating the ambulance service side of the department. These duties include maintaining staffing, ordering supplies, conducting community outreach, finding outside funding sources like grants, representing the department at local, regional, and state meetings, and, most importantly, responding to 911 calls for service.
What part of this new position do you believe you will enjoy the most?
I am very excited to get to know the community. Serving other people is the most rewarding part of the EMS profession, especially in rural areas like this.
Since January 6th, Adam has been working in person at the West Concord Fire Department Office, ready to continue this next chapter of his career and support the local community. With the help of Adam and many other volunteer or paid positions, the residents of West Concord and so many other southern Minnesotan communities are protected and cared for. It's often easy to overlook these crucial workers for what they do and strive to prevent. However, just as a theater technician is essential for a great play performance, the paramedics, dispatchers, and workers of these departments are the unsung heroes of a great community. Though it's easy to undermine their importance when you're not in need, they do something that many corporations and services fail to do. They're there when you need it most.
