Jefferson County Ambulance hires Judy Heisel as base manager

FAIRFIELD — Judy Heisel has been hired to be the base manager for Jefferson County’s ambulance service.

Heisel was previously the base manager in Fairfield for CARE Ambulance until January, and has worked in emergency services for 20 years.

Jefferson County Ambulance Director Brian Thomas chose Heisel as the base manager, and her hiring was approved on May 30 by the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors. Thomas was the CARE director for six months in 2021, and worked with Heisel during that time. Thomas was responsible for overseeing four bases, and he felt that Heisel’s leadership in Fairfield stood out from the rest.

“Her operation in Fairfield was the pinnacle of what I wanted my other bases to be like,” Thomas said. “She’s organized, motivated and cares about the community.”

Thomas said he’s glad to have someone with two decades of experience leading the base.

“She’s been in EMS a long time, just like myself, and we have the same vision for Jefferson County,” Thomas said.

Heisel’s first day on the job was Thursday, June 1. Thomas said he still needs to hire more staff ahead of the Oct. 1 date when the county takes over ambulance service from CARE Ambulance at the conclusion of its three-year contract. He said he’d like to have six full-time paramedics, six full-time EMTs, and some part-time staff who are willing to work weekends.

Heisel grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Fairfield High School in 1994. She went to college to be a secretary, but realized that career path was not meant for her. She started a job in EMS and has never looked back. She’s worked in places such as Van Buren County, Ottumwa, Grinnell and Iowa City, but most of her 20 years in EMS have been in Jefferson County. She was base manager for CARE Ambulance, and with Midwest Ambulance before that, for a total of about four years.

“It feels good,” Heisel said about being hired as the county ambulance’s base manager. “This is what I’ve always wanted to do, to provide service and the best care to the residents of Jefferson County.”

Heisel said that, in addition to being the county ambulance’s base manager, she will continue working as a 911 dispatcher for Jefferson County.

  Buy Photo

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com