We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Laurie Huestis retired in March, 2024 after 40 years as a member of the Blaine I Ambulance and Rescue Crew. Fellow crew member Lynne wrote, “Laurie has a three-digit EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) number from when she started, now those numbers are five digits!” Laurie began serving with the Blaine I emergency services crew in 1984. Her fellow crew members are hosting an opportunity for the community to express its thanks to Laurie at a community celebration in early June.
Laurie was noted for being one the first responders to an emergency even when she was not “on call.” She was legendary for her calm demeanor, teaching skills and patience when helping new members assimilate to the crew. A strong believer in the need for constant training of all crew members she gave more than just lip service to helping the crew hone their skills and learn new ones. As one crew member put it, “Laurie was always at training to proctor, be the ‘patient’ strapped to the backboard or offer her arm for IV practice.”
It was not uncommon to see Laurie as part of an ambulance crew standing by during a county fair rodeo or on the sidelines at a sports event, available and ready if a participant or spectator need medical attention. She was renowned for being one of the first to show to help with an ambulance call, even when she wasn’t on call. Once asked how many babies she helped deliver Laurie said, “I didn’t keep count, it was part of the job when we showed up to provide emergency services.”
In addition to her regular duties as a part of the ambulance and emergency crew Laurie served for 14 years as co-crew chief and was a delegate to the group that planned training for all the volunteer emergency crews in the North Central region of Montana. She was the Blaine County DES liaison (Disaster and Emergency Services) to the lead agency coordinating emergency management for Montana. And served several years on the local Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team (CISD).
Jim Doyle, who served as Laurie’s co-crew chief for many years said he asked Laurie how she was dealing with retirement from the ambulance and rescue crew. She said, “It is bittersweet and is an adjustment.” Doyle noted, “Laurie is certainly missed by her former crew.”
The Blaine I Ambulance and Rescue crew invites the community to join them as they honor Laurie Huestis for her forty years of service. The reception and celebration will be held at Sweet Park on Sunday, June 2, 2-4pm. Light refreshments will be served.
