Meramec Ambulance District

Meramec Ambulance District is pleased to share several significant updates as we continue moving forward with projects and equipment purchases made possible through community support and voter approval of Proposition A.

These investments represent an important step in strengthening our facilities, modernizing critical equipment, and ensuring our crews have the resources needed to continue providing high-quality emergency medical services to our community.

🏗️ Station Construction Projects
We are excited to announce that the District has secured a general contractor for the Station 2/ Administration Building in Villa Ridge, marking a major milestone in this project. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on October 20, and we look forward to celebrating the beginning of this important investment alongside our community.

Additional details regarding the groundbreaking ceremony will be announced soon.

In addition, planning and preparation for our station improvement projects continue to progress, with renovations expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027. More specifically, Station 1 in Pacific will begin its renovations late 2026/early 2027, with Station 3 in Robertsville to follow once Station 1 is complete.

🫁 New Ventilators
The bond funding approved with Proposition A is also supporting the replacement of aging medical equipment. Meramec Ambulance District is currently in the process of purchasing new transport ventilators to replace our existing ReVel ventilators, which have reached end-of-life status.

These new ventilators will provide our paramedics with modern, dependable technology for the treatment and transport of critically ill and injured patients who require advanced respiratory support.

These projects are more than facility upgrades and equipment purchases — they are investments in the future of emergency medical services throughout the Meramec Ambulance District.

We sincerely thank our residents for the trust and support that made these improvements possible. We remain committed to being responsible stewards of these funds and to keeping our community informed as each project continues to move forward.

This is an exciting chapter for Meramec Ambulance District, and we look forward to sharing each milestone with you along the way.

Severe bleeding can become life-threatening in just minutes. Knowing how to recognize it and take action while help is on the way can make a critical difference.

Here are 5 important steps to remember:

1️⃣ Find the Bleeding
Quickly locate where the bleeding is coming from and expose the injury so you can see the wound clearly. Look carefully for additional injuries that may be hidden by clothing.

2️⃣ Apply Firm, Direct Pressure
Use gauze, a clean cloth, or your hands to apply firm, steady pressure directly over the wound. Maintain continuous pressure and avoid repeatedly lifting the dressing to check the bleeding.

3️⃣ Secure a Pressure Dressing
Once direct pressure has slowed or controlled the bleeding, secure the dressing firmly in place with gauze or a bandage. If blood soaks through, add additional material on top rather than removing the original dressing.

4️⃣ Use a Tourniquet for Severe Limb Bleeding
For life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg that cannot be controlled with direct pressure, a tourniquet may be necessary. Place it approximately 2–3 inches above the wound, avoiding joints, and tighten it until the bleeding stops. Once applied, do not loosen or remove it.

5️⃣ Call 911 & Continue Monitoring
For severe bleeding, activate 911 as soon as possible—or have someone else call while you provide care. Keep the person warm, continue watching their breathing and responsiveness, and maintain bleeding control until EMS arrives.

🚑 The actions taken in the first few minutes of a bleeding emergency can save a life.

Knowing these basic skills can help you stay prepared to help a family member, friend, coworker, or even a stranger when every second counts.

Be prepared. Take action. Stop the bleed.

We’re hanging out under the lights tonight and ready for a great night of football! 🚑🏈

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Homecoming Weekend! Have fun, cheer loud, and enjoy the night! 🎉💜

Today, we’re proud to celebrate Sarah’s third anniversary with Meramec Ambulance District!

Sarah’s interest in EMS began early. Growing up, she always knew she wanted to work in the medical field, and eventually that path led her to the back of an ambulance.

“I love helping people in any way that I can,” Sarah shared.

Her connection to Meramec actually began before she joined the district. Sarah completed both her EMT and paramedic clinical rides at Meramec, where she quickly became comfortable with the crews and knew she had found somewhere special.

“Meramec is just the perfect place for me. Some of my coworkers have become my best friends, and the professionalism and patient care shown here is outstanding.”

When she’s not serving the community, Sarah loves spending time outdoors with her kids and fiancé—whether they’re floating, sitting around a bonfire, or exploring creeks together.

And here’s something you might not know about Sarah: she has an identical twin sister! 👯‍♀️

Sarah, thank you for the compassion, dedication, and friendship you’ve brought to Meramec Ambulance District over the past three years. We’re grateful to have you as part of our team and look forward to celebrating many more milestones with you.

Staying hydrated is important every day, not just when temperatures climb. Your body depends on water to function properly whether it’s hot, cold, sunny, or cloudy.

Of course, warmer temperatures, humidity, and physical activity can cause you to lose fluids more quickly. Whether you're working outside, attending a ball game, enjoying the lake, spending time in the yard, or simply going about your normal day, making hydration a regular habit can help keep you feeling and performing your best.

💦 Stay Ahead of Thirst
Don’t wait until it’s hot outside — or until you feel thirsty — to reach for water. Thirst can be an early sign that your body already needs more fluids. Make a habit of drinking water consistently throughout the day, and increase your fluid intake when exercising, working outdoors, or spending extended periods in the heat.

🚨 Know the Signs of Dehydration
Dehydration can happen at any time of year, although hot and humid conditions can make it develop more quickly. Common warning signs include headache, dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth, muscle cramps, and dark-colored urine. If you begin experiencing these symptoms, rest, drink fluids, and move to a cooler environment if heat is a factor.

👵 Keep an Eye on Those at Higher Risk
Some people are more susceptible to dehydration regardless of the weather. Older adults may not feel thirsty as often, young children can become dehydrated quickly, and athletes and physically active individuals can lose significant fluids. Certain medications and medical conditions may also increase the risk. Check in on family members, neighbors, and friends who may be more vulnerable.

🚑 Know When to Seek Help
While mild dehydration can often improve with rest and fluids, severe dehydration or heat-related illness can become a medical emergency. Seek medical attention if someone becomes confused, faints, has a rapid heartbeat, cannot keep fluids down, or develops altered mental status or loss of consciousness.

Hydration isn’t just a hot-weather precaution — it’s an everyday part of taking care of your health.

When in doubt during a medical emergency, call 911.

Each year, thousands of adults are injured due to falls. At Meramec Ambulance District, we want to help keep you and your loved ones safe with these 4 simple fall prevention tips:

1️⃣ Stay Active – Gentle exercises like walking or stretching improve balance, strength, and coordination.
2️⃣ Remove Home Hazards – Clear walkways, secure rugs, and keep stairs and floors clutter-free.
3️⃣ Use Assistive Devices – Handrails, grab bars, and non-slip mats can make a big difference in preventing slips.
4️⃣ Check Your Vision & Medications – Regular eye exams and medication reviews can catch side effects that increase fall risk.

Falls are often preventable—and awareness is the first step. Let’s work together to keep our community standing strong and steady!

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO DONATE!

A family in our community recently lost their home, and Meramec Ambulance District and Pacific Fire Protection District are joining together to help support them as they begin the difficult process of rebuilding and moving forward.

For the next week (final collection day is Sunday, September 27), we will be accepting donations for the family at:

📍 Pacific Fire Protection District – Station 1
910 West Osage Street

📍 Meramec Ambulance District – Station 1
429 East Osage Street

Items currently needed include:
Women’s:
• Large pants
• XL shirts, sweaters, and hoodies
Teenage Girl:
• Small–Medium shirts
• Sweaters and hoodies
• Medium pants
• Shoes, sizes 7–8
Additional needs:
• Storage totes
• Art, drawing, and coloring activities

We will also be accepting donations for Stray Rescue to help support the dogs in their care.
🐾 Dog food
🐾 Dog toys
🐾 Blankets
🐾 Dog beds
🐾 Dog treats

If you’d rather make a monetary donation, donations can be sent via Venmo to Pacific Fire at .

In moments like these, even the smallest act of kindness can mean more than we realize. A donated sweatshirt, a pair of shoes, a coloring activity, or a bag of dog food may seem simple, but together those acts remind a family that they are not facing this alone.

We are incredibly fortunate to serve a community that looks out for one another. Thank you to everyone who has already offered support and to everyone who continues to come together for this family and the animals affected during this difficult time.

Ever see an ambulance come flying into a neighborhood with lights and sirens… then a few minutes later leave driving completely normal?

There’s actually a reason for that.

Just because we were dispatched to you with lights and sirens doesn’t necessarily mean we need to use them on the way to the hospital.

When the call first comes in, we’re working with very limited information. Once we arrive, assess you, check your vital signs, hear what’s going on, and figure out what you need, we can make a much better decision about how quickly we need to get you to the hospital.

We’re looking at things like your condition, which hospital you need to go to, how far away it is, and whether saving a few minutes is actually going to change anything.

There are absolutely times when we’re going to light it up.

A STEMI, strokes, major trauma, or any other situation where you need something at the hospital that we can’t provide in the back of the ambulance — and time truly matters.

But for most patients, running red lights and driving into oncoming traffic just to save a couple of minutes isn’t necessary.

And believe it or not, lights and sirens aren’t exactly the safest way to travel.

Some drivers don’t see us.

Some don’t hear us.

Meanwhile, there’s still a patient in the back of the ambulance and usually a paramedic or EMT trying to take care of them. Our job isn’t just to get there quickly.

It’s to get everybody there safely.

So if an ambulance comes flying into your neighborhood with everything lit up, then leaves a few minutes later driving like any other vehicle, it doesn’t mean we suddenly stopped taking the situation seriously.

It usually means we’ve assessed the patient and decided the safest thing to do is simply drive normally.

Sometimes a boring ride to the hospital is exactly what you want.

We’re excited to welcome the community back for another year of Halloween fun at Station 1! Bring the family, invite your friends, and come spend the evening with us for games, prizes, pumpkin painting, movies, snacks, drinks, ambulance tours, bounce house, spooky vibes, and plenty of fun for all ages.

📅 Friday, October 30, 2026
⏰ 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Meramec Ambulance District – Station 1
429 East Osage Street, Pacific, MO

Costumes are encouraged, but not required, so whether you come dressed up or simply come as you are, we’d love to have you join us.

We’ll also be accepting donations during the event for our Annual Food Drive. All donations collected will be given to the Agape Help House right here in Pacific to help support individuals and families in our local community.

If you’re planning to attend, we encourage you to RSVP so we can make sure we have plenty of snacks, drinks, and prizes for everyone! You can RSVP under the Events tab on our page or visit https://www.meramecems.org/event-list.

We’re looking forward to another great night spent with our community and hope to see you there. Come out, have some fun, enjoy a little Halloween spirit, and help us support a great local organization along the way! 🎃🚑👻