OSAGE COUNTY — Two members of the Osage Ambulance District were honored last week with top statewide recognition at the 2025 Missouri EMS Association (MEMSA) Awards, during the Missouri EMS Conference & Expo. Amanda Reichel and Kelly Johnson were recognized for their outstanding contributions to emergency medical services in Missouri.

Reichel received the first-ever Advanced EMT of the Year Award —marking both a personal achievement and a statewide milestone. This brand-new category was introduced by MEMSA this year, and Reichel’s recognition makes her the inaugural recipient of the honor.

EMS Chief Josh Krull described her story as “one of perseverance, resilience, and unwavering dedication to her calling in EMS.”

“As the paramedic shortage in rural EMS continued to worsen, our leadership team took a hard look at how we could adapt and sustain high-quality emergency care for our community,” said Krull. “We evaluated our options and made the decision to invest in developing the AEMT provider role — an under-utilized and often overlooked resource in the state of Missouri.

“Though we were fully committed to this initiative, our options were limited,” he continued. “At the time, only hybrid AEMT courses were available for our area. That didn’t stop our team. We enrolled a trial group of employees into one of those hybrid programs with the vision of proving the value of this licensure level—not just for our agency, but for rural EMS systems across Missouri.”

This year’s awardee, Krull said, stepped up without hesitation. Ultimately, Reichel became the first in the group to pass the program, earn her license, and pave the way as the first AEMT ever employed by Osage Ambulance District.

Johnson, meanwhile, was honored with the Instructor/Educator of the Year Award, which recognizes an EMS educator “who goes above and beyond to elevate EMS education in Missouri.”

“Since joining her current position, our awardee has played an instrumental role in helping carry out a long-held vision for the growth and success of EMS education in Central Missouri,” Krull said. “With the paramedic shortage growing more severe across the state and nation, we recognized the urgent need to bring high-quality education and training to our rural region. It was clear we needed someone with both the expertise and leadership to turn that vision into reality — and Kelly was the right choice.

“With her arrival, we successfully established a satellite partnership with MU EMS Education in Columbia, allowing us to offer paramedic-level education locally for the first time,” Krull continued. “Once that foundation was laid, we turned our attention to building the first in-seat Advanced EMT program in our region — another step forward in addressing provider shortages and expanding access to care. Now in its second year, this program is making a measurable impact across the communities we serve.”

In addition, Johnson ensures certification and continuing education for Osage Ambulance District’s 55 staff members, while also managing CPR certification coordination for State Tech. She works directly with each academic department and instructor to meet their unique program needs while ensuring compliance with evolving standards.

The MEMSA Awards are presented annually during the Missouri EMS Conference & Expo. They “recognize individuals whose contributions significantly advance high quality EMS and improve outcomes in pre-hospital and transport care.” As only about a dozen awards are presented each year, having two award-winners from Osage County is especially impressive.

“We’re proud to call both Amanda and Kelly — two professionals whose dedication is now recognized across the state — part of our team,” said Krull.