KATHRYN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Each year, the North Dakota EMS Association recognizes those individuals who have made significant contributions to the provision, development, and improvement of local, regional, and state pre-hospital care. In 2025, we are honored to present the NDEMSA Southeast Region Service of the Year to Kathryn QRU.
This award is intended to recognize an EMS service that significantly contributed to the provision, development, and improvement of pre-hospital care and EMS education in their community. Any EMS organization licensed or certified in the state of North Dakota, including rescue, quick response units, industrial services, etc., is eligible.
Kathryn QRU is a true example of rural EMS. They are a group of dedicated, hardworking, professional EMS providers who take time out of their busy lives to help others. The patients in their service area are close to 20 miles away from an ambulance service, which means if there weren’t any community-minded people willing to respond right away to the scene of a call, the patients would need to wait for an extended time period to receive life-saving care. Instead, the Kathryn QRU arrives within minutes at the scene. Often, the Kathryn QRU responds to their family members and/or friends, and this is nothing but comforting and appreciated by their patients to see a friendly face. The Kathryn QRU is always doing what it can to recruit new members, stay on top of their training, and fundraising to keep their equipment as updated as possible. The Kathryn QRU is made up of individuals who all work full-time jobs outside of EMS, and they almost all wear many other hats in their small community of under 70 people. What I find most admirable about the Kathryn QRU is the passion they all show towards being the best EMS providers they can be for the people they serve. They don’t do what they do for a pat on the back or to be on the front page of the paper, they do it because they care. They also make sure their small community is trained in CPR and other lifesaving skills, often bringing in instructors for their community and inviting other area QRUs, fire departments, and EMS units to their squad for training. Once again, just a true example of rural EMS and people helping others.