From the Conference to the Community: Logan County EMS at KEMSA 2026
Paramedic/EMS Director, Candy Aschenbrenner, AEMT Jeff Huffman, and EMT Deanna Slippers recently had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association (KEMSA) Conference & Expo in Manhattan, Kansas from August 13-August 16. The annual conference brings together EMS professionals from across the state for several days of education, hands-on training, networking, and opportunities to learn from others in the field. For rural EMS providers, opportunities like KEMSA are especially valuable. The conference allows attendees to step away from their day-to-day responsibilities and connect with other EMS professionals who understand the unique challenges and rewards of providing emergency medical services in communities across Kansas.
Throughout the conference, crew members attended a variety of educational sessions covering topics relevant to emergency responders and the communities they serve. From hands-on training opportunities to presentations focused on issues impacting rural Kansas, the conference offered something for every area of EMS. Sessions such as the Exertional Heat Stroke training gave attendees the chance to build practical skills and reinforce the importance of recognizing and responding quickly to time-sensitive emergencies. Other presentations, including Grain Gone Wrong, focused on situations that can be especially relevant to rural communities and agricultural areas.
KEMSA 2026
You can click on the pictures of The Salty Paramedic and EMS Avenger and learn more about them.
Beyond the educational sessions, attending KEMSA also provides an opportunity to network with EMS professionals from across Kansas and around the country. Sharing ideas, experiences, and challenges with other providers is an important reminder that although many rural EMS services may be separated by miles, they often face similar situations and can learn from one another. Guests had a chance to learn from people such as The Salty Paramedic and the EMS Avenger.
You can't have learning without a little fun mixed in. For KEMSA, that means the BLS level Escape Room! Candy and Deanna participated in the Escape Room for the second year in a row. KEMSA builds an emergency escape room, and participants have to perform Basic Life Support assessments to solve puzzles and find the clues to escape the room. This year their team, made up of them along with 2 Thomas County Paramedics, won 3rd place!
Logan County EMS is proud to support continuing education and professional development for its crew members. Opportunities like the KEMSA Conference & Expo allow providers to bring new knowledge, skills, and ideas back home, helping strengthen the service we provide to the communities of Logan County. We are grateful for the opportunity for three of our crew members to attend KEMSA 2026 and represent Logan County EMS. We look forward to putting what they learned into practice and continuing to grow, train, and serve our community.
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