Spring River Paramedic Ambulance service honors long time employee and wins prestigious state Award

By Tammy Curtis, Managing Editor

Spring River Paramedic Ambulance Service (SRPAS) has achieved numerous milestones in 2025. Besides turning 50 years old and proving that they are the small rural ambulance service that could, they also celebrated long-time employee, emergency medical technician turned medic, Andy Schisler, who has worked for the company for 30 years.  If that wasn’t enough, they came home last week from the Arkansas EMT Association conference with a hefty award. SRPAS was named the Arkansas Ambulance Association’s Advanced Life Support Service of the Year on Aug. 1. 

Schisler was honored at a reception on July 23, where his coworkers, friends, and long-time colleagues came to congratulate him on this accomplishment. 

He laughed and claimed he took his first test to become a state Emergency Medical Technician with a rock and a chisel in 1994. At the time, one of the service’s founders, Bob Booth, was still there along with Grace Richardson. It wasn’t until 1998, four years later, that he became a paramedic, with his license nationally registered. 

Age restrictions prevented him from being employed at SRPAS at that time. For insurance purposes, paramedics at SRPAS were required to be 25 years old. So, he took a job working for a neighboring service, Jonesboro PTS, located in Imboden. While working there, one of the SRPAS EMTs, Paul Brinkley, injured himself, and Booth called Schisler to work. 

Laughing, he said, “Bob, here is a set of keys to your own truck. Have fun.” He then entered paramedic school in 1997, finishing in 98. 

Schisler has been an instructor for the service for 22-23 years. “I am the training officer for Spring River, so I make sure everybody’s certifications are current and make sure they got CPR certifications,” he explained. 

Working in emergency medical care can be extremely mentally demanding for anyone. Schisler said he credits his ability to, for the most part, leave his job at work to his wife of 30 years, Karen. 

Schisler explained how fate also helped him to separate from the job with a move to Mountain Home. “I used to live in Cherokee Village, and when I lived here, I worked pretty much every day, even after my daughter was born. It may have only been an hour or two that day, but I worked every single day. And when she was working at the FNBC, she got transferred to the Mountain Home branch, and we moved over there, so that helped.” He explained that she’d have to drive the Mountain Home every day.  “So it’s easier for us to move over there, sure, and that helped take a lot of stress from the job here away.” 

Another positive change occurred when SRPAS transitioned to 48-hour shifts, followed by 96 hours off. “I worked two days, then went home. That helped.” 

He said the ambulance service has undoubtedly evolved over the years from a basic life support service to an advanced life support service. One of the best advances, Schisler said, is the benefits of the automatic load systems on stretchers, which saves a lot of back pain when lifting patients. 

He offered a little advice for anyone seeking a career as a paramedic. “If you want a career to survive and make money, this is not necessarily the position. But, if you’re willing, to want to be able to help people, have the heart to be able to help somebody in their time of need, to see people in their worst time, then it’s for you.”

Schisler also teaches EMT classes at Ozarka College, with one starting this month to help upcoming EMTs become certified. 

General Manager Bart Schulz told the crowd of attendees how rare it is for an employee to spend three decades with one ambulance service, emphasizing Andy’s dedication to Spring River and the communities they serve. “Those 30 years represent this guy’s unwavering dedication to Spring River Angel service and the communities that we serve. I’d like to know how many runs he’s done in 30 years,” Schulz said. 

“EMT, paramedic supervisor, trainer, instructor, mentor, the list goes on and on and on. The roles this fellow has served in and continues to serve in, including Karen, Andy, and the whole family. We appreciate all the sacrifices you guys have made, and you continue to make for Andy to serve those 30 years and hopefully continue to serve years into the future,” Schulz said before presenting him with a plaque for his service and inviting him to the podium.

“I’ve worked with a lot of amazing people, and I think right now one of the crews we have working for the company is the best we have had. Unfortunately, several of them are not able to make it here right now, because, as we know, the little pages and radios like to make noise. I thank the company for allowing me to be here.” He explained the SRPAS co-workers are like a family to he and his wife. Karen also spoke, thanking them for allowing her to be part of their family. 

Before enjoying the food, a young girl in the audience spoke up. Kennedy Weiand held back tears as she spoke to Andy and the crowd. “I don’t think I’ll be alive today if it wasn’t for Andy showing up the night I was drugged. I want to thank him, every day I get to take care of my two girls because of him.”

The celebration concluded with him visiting with several friends who had also come to wish him well. Schisler said he has no plans of going anywhere and loves his job and work family and will continue being an instructor. 

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