Putnam County EMS celebrates 50 years of saving lives

GLANDORF, OH (WLIO) - The Putnam County EMS and residents of the surrounding villages came together to celebrate a big anniversary on Sunday.

50 years, the county EMS department was formed to more efficiently save lives and provide healthcare in Putnam County. The Putnam County Office of Public Safety welcomes people to an open house to explore the facility, climb inside an ambulance, and meet some of both the current and original first responders from 1974, as well as the department's emotional support dog, Joules. Visitors could also look through old photos, newspapers, awards, and equipment to learn about the history of emergency healthcare in Putnam County. 

"A lot of things changed; the stuff that we're able to do now, they'll put you on medication, we're able to send a 12-lead to our hospitals when someone has a heart problem. Our ambulances are much safer now compared to what they were then. You look back in '74; they cost about $30,000; today they cost about $250,000," explained Putnam County Office of Public Safety Director Brian Hilvers. 

One Ottoville couple can personally attest to the life-saving speed and professionalism of local first responders after a late-night stroke in October of 2023 that could've ended much differently. 

"He woke me up at about 4:15, and then about 4:20 he said something isn't right, and then I thought maybe it was a heart attack because he said he had to throw up. And then all of a sudden I noticed his speech was slurred," recalled Suzanne Wannemacher. 

"If I didn't get the response that I got at that time, I would've had more damage. And they said the quick response that I got from the EMS, that saved me actually," added her husband Bill Wannemacher.

Guests also got to see Life Flight aircraft in action later in the afternoon.