Karlstad Chamber Highlights Community Collaboration During May Meeting at Tri-County EMS
The Karlstad Chamber held its May meeting at Tri-County EMS with members Matt, Krista, Ashlee, Alicia, Jena, Rod, and Holly in attendance. The meeting featured updates on Chamber initiatives, community event planning, business growth discussions, and an in-depth look at one of Karlstad’s most essential organizations — Tri-County EMS.
Hosted by Taylor Clark, the meeting began with a behind-the-scenes overview of Tri-County EMS and the critical role the organization plays throughout Kittson and Marshall counties.
Many community members may not realize that Taylor’s full-time role with Tri-County EMS includes responsibilities as director, administrator, clerk, EMT, trainer, and more. Karlstad has proudly served as the home base for Tri-County EMS since 1975. For many of those nearly 50 years, the service was operated and owned by Pat and Jeanne Collins.
Today, Tri-County EMS operates ambulances out of Karlstad, Newfolden, and Middle River while responding to approximately 300–350 calls annually. The organization currently relies on 35 volunteer EMTs and drivers to help serve the region.
Taylor shared details about some of the advanced tools and equipment available to the crew, including one of the area’s largest and most efficient ambulances featuring specialized lift-assist equipment and stair chairs designed to improve patient safety and mobility.
One highlight of the tour was “Willy,” a new state-of-the-art training mannequin funded through a grant. The $20,000 training tool simulates realistic emergency scenarios with heart and lung sounds, IV practice, allergy response situations, and other advanced medical training features.
An especially important takeaway from the meeting was the impact Tri-County EMS has on local education and workforce development.
Tri-County EMS is currently the only organization in the area offering local CPR certification training. Monthly CPR courses allow local residents, schools, businesses, and first responders to receive certifications without traveling out of town. The organization also hosts EMT courses one to two times annually and provides refresher training for departments throughout the area, including Karlstad, Kennedy, and Lake Bronson fire crews.
Their training services extend beyond the immediate area as well, working with large employers such as DigiKey while continuing to support volunteer emergency responders across northwest Minnesota.
Funding for Tri-County EMS comes from a combination of ambulance calls, state funding, standby contracts, training courses, donations, and community support. Taylor emphasized the continued need for volunteers and community involvement to help sustain rural emergency services.
The Chamber continues prioritizing “Year 1” initiatives focused on building awareness around:
Members discussed continued social media outreach and community education efforts to help local businesses and residents better understand Chamber initiatives and opportunities.
One major topic of discussion centered around developing educational and community-focused events in Karlstad.
Ideas included:
Members discussed ways local businesses could potentially host, sponsor, or partner on future educational events. Additional discussion included gathering community feedback through surveys and possible incentives such as Karlstad Bucks.
The Chamber also discussed how businesses located outside Karlstad may partner with the Chamber while still prioritizing support for Karlstad-based businesses.
At this time, Chamber business spotlights will remain exclusive to Karlstad businesses. However, members explored ways outside businesses that serve the area could still participate through:
Further discussion on this topic will continue through Basecamp and future meetings.
The Chamber’s social media presence continues to gain traction throughout the region.
From December through May:
The Hallock Chamber also reached out to discuss the Karlstad Chamber’s successful social media growth and requested a future meeting to exchange ideas and strategies.
Holly shared feedback from the recent Mother’s Day Pop-Up event.
Despite weather challenges on Saturday, organizers felt the event had a strong first-year turnout. Some observations included:
Sunday saw stronger traffic overall, with both the hardware store and greenhouse reporting very busy activity.
Participating vendors expressed interest in hosting another pop-up event during KUK weekend.
The next Karlstad Chamber meeting will be held:
Monday, June 9
9:00 AM
Karlstad Senior Living
Hosted by Jena
Want to stay informed on upcoming meetings? Subscribe to the Karlstad community calendar!
