Dan Schaefer, a dedicated EMS professional with over three decades of service, is being honored as a 2024 American Ambulance Association Star of Life. Dan’s career in emergency services began in 1985, volunteering on a local rural ambulance service before becoming a National Registry Emergency Medical Paramedic in 1993. Since then, he has served with Metro Area Ambulance Service, rising to his current role as Chief of Operations.

Dan’s impact on EMS extends far beyond his professional duties. He has played an instrumental role in improving EMS operations, patient care, and the work environment for his colleagues. His leadership helped guide the transition from 24-hour shifts to 12-hour flexing shifts, creating a better work-life balance for staff managing a high volume of calls. As Human Resources Director, Dan addressed the EMS provider shortage by creating flexible schedules and establishing a Peer Support and Chaplaincy program to enhance employee well-being.

Dan’s expertise also reaches across the state. As the North Dakota representative for the State Interoperability Executive Committee for 13 years, he chaired the Siren 20/20 project—a $200 million statewide radio system ensuring reliable communication for emergency services. He also serves on the advisory board at Bismarck State College for their Paramedic Program, playing a vital role in shaping future EMS professionals.

Dan’s volunteerism exemplifies his deep commitment to public service. As the Division Director of the Northern Division of the National Ski Patrol, Dan dedicates his time to ensuring the safety of skiers and snowboarders in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. He also leads the Bis/Man Cardiac Ready Community Program, which has placed over 250 AEDs throughout Bismarck/Mandan, providing critical life-saving equipment to a community of over 150,000 people.

Dan’s extensive contributions to the EMS field also include work with the North Dakota Department of Health, where he helped establish state EMS guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his service on the Dakota Zoo Management Board, where he assesses risk management strategies for the safety of visitors.

Through his leadership, commitment to public service, and dedication to the betterment of EMS across North Dakota, Dan Schaefer continues to make a profound impact on the community he serves. Metro Area Ambulance Service is proud to nominate Dan Schaefer for the 2024 Star of Life Award in recognition of his lifetime commitment to EMS, public safety, and volunteerism.

Jon Jakob Peterson, raised in Fargo, North Dakota, dedicated his life to the service of others through his work in emergency medical services. A graduate of Fargo North High School in 2007, Jon married his high school sweetheart, Samantha, two years later, and together they had two daughters, Sophia (14) and Abby (11). Jon’s family was his highest priority, and he was a proud supporter of his daughters’ activities and accomplishments.

Jon’s career began after exploring various jobs, including working as a cook and a parts delivery driver. His passion for healthcare was realized when, with Samantha’s encouragement, he enrolled in the EMT program at FM-Ambulance in 2011. Jon’s dedication to EMS became clear when he saved a motorcyclist’s life during a serious accident in a rural area. His quick thinking, using his belt as a tourniquet, and timely call to 911 resulted in the victim’s survival. This event solidified Jon’s commitment to EMS, leading him to complete the F-M Ambulance Paramedic program in 2012.

After joining F-M Ambulance in December 2012 as a Paramedic, Jon made a profound impact on the lives of his patients and colleagues. He became a backup telecommunicator in 2017 and has received numerous honors for his contributions. These include the Service Ribbon (2013), Preceptor of the Year (2015), Stork Award for delivering a baby in the field, and the Disaster Services Ribbon. In 2016, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and Star of the Year. Jon also earned the Critical Life Saver Ribbon twice, in 2019 and 2020, for his role in resuscitating cardiac arrest patients.

Jon’s leadership and dedication extend beyond the ambulance. In December 2023, he joined the North Dakota EMS Association Board, representing EMS from Sanford Ambulance and the Southeast Region of North Dakota. He also served as a liaison officer for Kindred Ambulance, offering education, training, and guidance to rural EMS providers. As a union steward for UFCW Local 1189, Jon was a strong advocate for his peers, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are protected. With his expertise, knowledge, compassion, and dedication to community service, Jon Jakob Peterson was a deserving candidate for the Stars of Life award, embodying the values of excellence and commitment in EMS.

Jon passed away on September 13, 2024, after a battle with illness. His love for his wife, Samantha, and daughters, Sophia and Abby, was the cornerstone of his life. A proud family man and Packers fan, Jon leaves behind a legacy of compassion, dedication, and service.

Nathaniel “Nate” Dutt, born and raised in Fargo, ND, has been an integral part of Sanford Ambulance since 2009, demonstrating dedication and excellence in both pre-hospital care and emergency telecommunications. His journey in EMS began in high school, where he developed a passion for law enforcement and medicine through the Fargo Police and F-M Ambulance Explorers programs. A scholarship from F-M Ambulance allowed Nate to attend EMT training after graduating high school in 2007, and by 2008, he was enrolled in paramedic school at Bismarck State College.

Nate’s commitment to EMS led him to join F-M Ambulance (now Sanford Ambulance) as an EMT in 2009, where he was quickly promoted to Paramedic after completing his certification. Over the past 15 years, Nate has taken on multiple roles, becoming a full-time dispatcher in 2021 while continuing to maintain his Paramedic certification and proficiency by picking up ambulance shifts.

Throughout his career, Nate has been an active member of the Disaster Response Team, Honor Guard, and the Peer Assistance Crisis Team (PACT), which he helped develop in 2019. As a Communications Training Officer (CTO) and Charge Dispatcher, Nate plays a vital role in training new dispatchers and overseeing operations. His leadership in these roles, coupled with his involvement in the Communications and Operations Steering and Oversight Committee, has greatly enhanced the efficiency and quality of emergency communications at Sanford Ambulance.

In addition to his professional achievements, Nate has volunteered in search and rescue for six years with his K9s, Ziva and Sully, assisting in locating lost and missing persons. He is now training his dog Valor to be a Facility Therapy Dog. Outside of work, Nate enjoys spending time with his family, watching his nieces’ and nephews’ sporting events, and camping at the lake.

Nate is a compassionate and skilled provider who consistently goes the extra mile for his patients and colleagues. His extensive experience in both fieldwork and dispatch makes him a standout candidate for the 2024 American Ambulance Association Star of Life Award. Nate’s dedication, professionalism, and commitment to improving EMS operations make him a deserving recipient of this prestigious honor.

Sondra Bergem was born in Fargo, ND and grew up just outside of Horace, ND, where she attended the West Fargo Public Schools. In her high school years, she developed an interest in the medical field by participating in Meritcare Hospital’s High School Explorers program. Sondra began volunteering for Horace Fire & Rescue just after graduating from high school in 1993. In 1994, she became an EMT and continued to volunteer throughout her college years. Upon graduating from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 1997, she began Paramedic school at F-M Ambulance, now Sanford Ambulance, and was offered a Paramedic position in 1998.

Over Sondra’s last twenty-four years at Sanford Ambulance, she has played active roles in the early development of the disaster team in the early 2000s, with the Ambulance High School Explorer program, and as a liaison for rural rescue squads. In 2013, Sondra was chosen to be a part of a pilot program for the initial Community Paramedic program for the state of North Dakota and at Sanford Health. She has worked to train new EMTs and Paramedics, worked with patients one-on-one in the Community Paramedic program to take care of patients in their own homes, worked as a Flight Paramedic in the hospital’s air-medical program, and treated and transported thousands of ground ambulance patients. Today, Sondra remains an active member of the Quality Insurance Committee, a Field Training Officer, and Charge Medic for her shift, obtaining the rank of Sergeant. She has been a union steward serving her fellow co-workers for the past sixteen years and is currently serving as the president of the local union.

Sondra is one of the most empathetic and compassionate pre-hospital care providers that you will find. Her numerous years of experience and training allow her to provide some of the best possible care when you call for help in your greatest time of need. Sondra is always willing to go the extra mile to make sure that all of her patients are well taken care of.

In her spare time, Sondra enjoys spending time with her family, watching baseball, spending time at the lake, and traveling. Sondra is married to Chris, who has served twenty-two years as an officer with the Fargo Police Department. They make their home in Fargo with their daughter Riley, age 8.

Patrick joined the EMS community in 1993 with an Advanced First Aid certification. Due to a traumatic event, he took a step away from EMS. In 2009 he became an EMT and has forged ahead in his EMS career and is currently the squad leader for the Maddock Ambulance. Presently he is an EVOC instructor, CPR instructor and is taking the leadership academy courses offered through the North Dakota EMS Association. Pat has been a northeast director for the North Dakota EMS Association for the past year and is a committee chair as well as a member of the advocacy committee. He has provided testimony in Bismarck on behalf of EMS and is very active in the legislative process. Pat received the 2013 EMS Provider of the Year and according to the service that nominated him; “He is a natural leader for EMS in North Dakota and they are proud to nominate him for the provider of the year.”

Robert Klein was born in Langdon, North Dakota and grew up on a farm in Northeastern North Dakota. He attended school in Langdon and after completing high school, remained on the family farm to help with the family farming operation. Robert grew up watching the television show, “Emergency” and was inspired by Paramedic’s Johnny and Roy. He wanted to someday be that person who responded and helped those in need during an emergency. So, in 1987, his EMS career began. He took an Emergency Medical Technician course at the hospital in Langdon, ND and began volunteering with the Langdon Ambulance Service. In 1994, Bob decided to advance his EMS skills and enrolled in the Paramedic Program at F-M Ambulance in Fargo, ND. He completed the program in 1995 and began working part time as a Street Medic for F-M Ambulance in Fargo. He continued his work on the family farm and also continued working with Langdon Ambulance as a Paramedic. In 2004, Bob became the Director of Langdon Ambulance in Langdon, ND while still working part time as a Paramedic for F-M Ambulance and managing his family farm. In 2006, Bob was offered a full time position with F-M Ambulance in Fargo, ND as their Liaison Coordinator. He made the decision to leave his family farm and his job with Langdon Ambulance and moved to Fargo, ND to take on this position. For eight years, he was responsible for providing the education and training to the members of the ambulance services, quick response units, fire departments and police departments of Cass and Clay Counties. In 2012, Bob decided that he was ready for a change and began working as a Lead Educator for F-M Ambulance. He assists in educating the students enrolled in the North Dakota State College of Science Paramedic Program which is affiliated with F-M Ambulance. He also instructs BLS, ACLS, PALS and PHTLS classes. In 2008, Bob received the F-M Ambulance Achievement in Excellence Award for his dedication and work with the EMT’s and First Responders in Cass and Clay Counties.That same year, Bob was honored with the North Dakota EMS Instructor of the Year Award. Bob is a member of the F-M Ambulance Service Disaster Services Committee. When not in the classroom, Bob can be found in his garage working on his motorcycles, vintage snowmobiles and classic cars. Bob is married to Margaret Nowatzki-Klein and they live in Horace, ND.”

As a child, Kathy loved swimming, and as soon as she turned 16 and could earn her lifeguard certification, she did. She became a lifeguarding instructor/trainer and a first aid and CPR instructor in the late 1970s. Swimming has remained a focal point of Kathy’s life, and she has managed the city’s swimming pool since the early 1980s and still gives swimming lessons.

Kathy’s connection with Hillsboro started when she decided to further her medical training and enrolled in an EMT class in 1980—she had barely started the course when she found herself a member of Hillsboro Ambulance Service. She served for 14 years as an EMT, then in 1995  she passed the NREMT-Intermediate exam.

Throughout her years of volunteer service, Kathy has held several roles. She’s a certified EMS instructor teaches numerous EMS courses. She served as the squad training officer and as president for over 10 years, and she has assisted on the ND EMS testing team. Kathy even began a program—volunteering her time—to teach all local high school sophomores CPR.

She continues to work as an EMT for Hillsboro Ambulance Service today and remains a key figure in the organization. Kathy is known to take a spare AED home many evenings and respond on calls, even while not on duty, when a train is passing through town and delaying an ambulance response. She covers numerous call shifts and is always available as a backup crew member.

Kathy has been a strong supporter and leader over the years, and her continued dedication and commitment have helped the service move forward not only in EMS but during changes with the structure and administration of the ambulance service.

Kathy owns Uniquely Yours, an antique and craft boutique store in Hillsboro. When the pager goes off and additional help is needed, she closes her store without a second thought and responds.

She has cared for countless patients throughout her career, and she has taught and mentored many people who have entered the field of EMS.

She is married to Dennis Duval, and they have three grown children, Audra, Jared, and Jenessa. In her spare time she enjoys swimming, painting, going to concerts, and traveling the upper Midwest to visit her children, grandchildren, and family. 

Marcy Dawson is a registered nurse and a Paramedic, and she has worked in emergency nursing for most of her career.

She has worked at Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin and at both Medcenter One (now Sanford Health) in Bismarck and St. Alexius Emergency Room, and she was a flight nurse when both hospitals shared a helicopter.

Marcy has a total of 16 years of flying experience. She managed Angel Air Care and was nurse manager for Minot Air Medical, which was part of Bismarck Air Medical. Marcy has also volunteered with Carson Ambulance, and she did critical care transport from the Elgin Hospital to Bismarck with New Leipzig/ Elgin ambulance.

Currently Marcy is a flight nurse with Sanford AirMed, Dickinson Base. She volunteers for both Hebron and New Salem, and she is an EMS instructor with Sanford EMS Education in Bismarck. She is certified in emergency nursing, flight nursing, and trauma nursing.

In 2017, Marcy was awarded EMS Provider of the Year by the NDEMSA.

Dr. Travis Waswick was instrumental in the development of a first-class EMS system in North Dakota’s Traill and Steele counties. His passion for EMS is truly inspiring.

Dr. Waswick began his EMS career with West Traill Ambulance Service as an EMT in 2009 while studying at the University of North Dakota. He continued working for our ambulance service while attending medical school, and has since become our Medical Director. Even after achieving his credentials as a physician, he maintains his NREMT certification.

Dr. Waswick’s commitment to EMS excellence is extraordinary. He makes time to participate in all ambulance meetings and board meetings. He helped develop a new hire onboarding program, and is actively involved in the training of crew members. He makes himself available 24/7 for any questions or concerns our employees may have. Dr. Waswick also created an enhanced QI/QA process to improve patient outcomes in rural North Dakota.

West Traill Ambulance Service is proud and honored to have Dr. Waswick as Medical Director, and he is very deserving of this special award.

Jan Samson joined Cavalier Ambulance in 2002 as a driver. Jan’s passion for EMS led her to complete EMT coursework, then continue her education to attain her Paramedic credential in 2008. She progressed to working as a full-time Paramedic in 2009. Samson continues to serve her community in this capacity to this date. Jan is currently a regional director with the North Dakota EMS Association.

Through her efforts as the Pembina County EMS Education Coordinator, area ambulance services have gained many new and very well-trained EMRs and EMTs. In addition to organizing in-person training for Pembina staff, Jan positively impacts the larger region through the administration of web-based e-learning for EMS personnel from farther afield.

Jan has shown great interest and aptitude in developing her leadership abilities. This is manifested in her mentorship of new staff, as well as the application of new leadership concepts and techniques gained from her classes with SafeTech Solutions. For many EMS providers new to the profession, the learning curve can be challenging, especially within a rural Advanced Life Support service like Cavalier. Samson works patiently with EMRs and EMTs to help familiarize them with ALS equipment and procedures. She ensures that these BLS-level staff have an understanding of the advanced measures, so that they can be of assistance in a time of need.

Jan’s commitment, dedication, and passion ensure that we are proud to call her a 2017 Star of Life.

In her time away from Cavalier, Jan enjoys spending time with her adult children and first grandchild.

Jason Eblen was born in Fargo, North Dakota, and grew up on his family farm and home in Hillsboro, North Dakota, where he attended Hillsboro Public Schools. In his high school years, he developed an interest in the medical field. Jason attended a first responder course after his sophomore year in high school in 1995, then began volunteering for the Hillsboro Ambulance Service.

Jason took a full time position at F-M Ambulance in the summer of 2001 while he continued his education at North Dakota State University. He began paramedic school at F-M Ambulance and Bismarck State College that same year. Jason was promoted to a Paramedic position at F-M Ambulance and continues to work full time as a field provider.

Jason was a key contributor when F-M Ambulance implemented their initial system of live system status monitoring and demand analysis. In 2013, Jason took on a newly developed role as a Quality Improvement/Quality Assurance Specialist and SIM-ND Educator. As a SIM-ND educator, Jason participates in a grant-funded project providing mobile simulation education on high mortality-low frequency scenarios to rural ambulance services and critical access hospitals throughout the state in an effort to improve patient outcomes.

In 2011, the Minnesota High School League recognized Jason for his role in resuscitating a high school basketball player who experienced sudden cardiac arrest during a game at a rural school and was subsequently able to return to the court.

In addition to his previous volunteer service with Hillsboro Ambulance, Jason was a member of the ND EMS Association Board of Directors for several years. He also volunteered as a reserve deputy sheriff for the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

In his spare time, Jason appreciates working with computers, firearms training, and spending time with his family. He is also an avid NDSU football fan. Jason is married to his wife, Tiffany. They live in Reile’s Acres with her sons, Tristan and Trenton, and a Shih Tzu-Bichon cross, Max.

NDEMSA 2015 Star of Life

Kerry Krikava is the 2015 ALS Provider of the Year and recipient of the North Dakota Star of Life Award.

Kerry began her EMS career in 1981 as an EMT and furthered her career to the present day Nationally Registered Paramedic. Kerry is known as the “go-to person” and the “face” of her service. She can be found in the field as a Paramedic as well as working in the office recruiting, grant writing, providing education and training, and coordinating with the hospital staff in Watford City and medical providers across the state.

Kerry has been very active in the state assisting with medical evacuations during the Fargo and Grand Forks floods, providing legislative support with Oil Impacted EMS. Kerry was instrumental in having the EMTALA law changed for ground ambulances and has testified several times on EMS issues at Medicare hearings, federal and state government sessions.

Kerry still works part time for the McKenzie County Ambulance Service and also works full-time in disaster, emergency preparedness and response, for a multi-state engineering, botany, science and response consulting firm.

NDEMSA 2015 Star of Life

Dale Torgerson is the 2015 BLS Provider of the Year and recipient of the North Dakota Star of Life Award.

Dale has roots in EMS that run deep with three generations assisting their local service. Dale started his EMS career in 1984. He has held many leadership roles with the Kindred Ambulance Service and in the community. He has also been instrumental in growing the service and proactive in keeping the ambulance service financially
sound. As with any leader in a service, Dale has given up holidays, family gatherings, and personal commitments to assist ambulance calls.