Austin County Emergency Medical Service

07/24/2025

🚨 Deployment Update - Day 11 and 12 (07/23/25-07/24/25)

ACEMS 6-24 with Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6 is still on deployment. SAR and dive teams still work tirelessly to locate the remaining persons from this heartbreaking disaster.

Yesterday and today, ACEMS 6-24 is teamed up with Northwest Community Health to help provide medical support to the SAR and Dive teams in strategic locations.

07/22/2025

🚨 Deployment Update - Day 9 & 10 (07/21/25-07/22/25)

Austin County unit 6-24 of the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6 is still deployed in Kerr County. On Day 8 6-24 completed another day with College Station Fire Department, TIFMAS crew 1009 at Mountain Home to assist them with whatever they needed. Whether it be running calls, cleaning, or moving equipment it did not matter, we are here to serve.

Today 6-24 held at staging. This gave our crew the opportunity to do some house keeping on the truck and to ensure it was in tip top shape to continue the mission!

07/21/2025

🚨 Deployment Update - Day 8 (07/20/2025) (Yesterday)

Yesterday, ACEMS 6-24 of Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6 was assigned to Mountain Home VFD, attached to TIFMAS Crew 1009 and our great new friends with College Station Fire Department! Here we helped TIFMAS cover fire calls if needed, and have ALS medical support to the area if needed. Thankfully, that type of support was not utilized! Instead we spent our time helping Mountain home return to somewhat of a normal operating life. Sifting through and organizing all of the wonderful donations, cleaning, and moving equipment was hard work! But we are here to serve and it’s amazing to see people from Texas, and beyond come together!

07/19/2025

Law enforcement is looking for a suspect in the lazy river area in Austin County

07/19/2025

🚨 Deployment Update - Day 7 (7/19/2025)

Today we welcome home Captain Justin Ward and AEMT Chloe Levay, who have completed their deployment assignment with the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6 in Kerrville. We are incredibly proud of the professionalism, dedication, and compassion they demonstrated while representing both Austin County EMS and our community. Thank you both for your outstanding service!

Stepping in to continue the mission are Assistant Chief Rhonda Ritchey and In-Charge Paramedic JJ Bautista. They will be staffing AST 6-24 and standing by, ready to respond to any assignment that comes their way.

For now, the team remains staged and prepared. We’ll continue to provide updates.Thank you all for your continued support of our crews serving in this critical response effort.

07/19/2025

🚨 Deployment Update -Day 6 - 7/18/25

Today, ACEMS Medic 22, operating as AST-6-24 with Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6, received new orders for Mountain Home, Texas. Our mission: provide relief and medical standby.

Partnered with a TIFMAS crew (College Station Fire Department), this area was in good hands.

Medic 22 also got to visit Camp Mystic. Debris, destruction, and the raw power of nature are visible in every direction. Despite the heartbreak, there’s still a sense of hope. Communities are coming together, and while the work ahead is daunting, it’s far from over.

We remain committed to supporting the response teams and the affected communities as long as we’re needed.

07/17/2025

🚨 Deployment Update - Day 5 (717/25)

This morning, ACEMS Medic 22, serving with AST-6-24 of the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6 , received a new assignment. Our team is now assisting TIFMAS crews by providing 911 coverage in the area and standing by as medical support for the first responders actively working the river.

Speaking of those first responders, did you know that several of our very own EMTs and Paramedics have volunteered their personal time to aid in this tragic event, outside of the official deployment? Their dedication speaks volumes, and we are incredibly proud of them.

Those who’ve stepped up on their own time include:

- B Shift Captain Chris Kalmbach, EMT-P
- In-Charge Paramedic Cole Taylor
- Attending EMT Chris Villarreal
- C Shift Captain Gary Stansbury EMT-P

EMT Chris Villarreal (pictured below) is currently stationed in Hunt, Texas, working alongside a volunteer group called Task Force Redeem performing swift water search operations. Chris has not been home in 13 days, splitting his time between volunteering and his regular shifts at ACEMS, a true testament to his heart for service.

Paramedic Cole Taylor also felt the call to serve. He took his horses to Ingram Tx and other flood-impacted areas, helping with search and rescue in rugged, hard-to-reach terrain. Cole plans to return soon to continue aiding the mission with his chain saw.

Captain Kalmbach joined Centerpoint Volunteer Fire Department, providing medical support to search teams working in the field.

Captain Stansbury volunteered his time as a part of a chainsaw crew for approximately 2 days. Captain Stansbury plans on returning soon to Ingram to assist again.

We are deeply thankful to these dedicated professionals for their compassion, sacrifice, and relentless commitment to service. You each represent the very best of ACEMS and our community.

We stand proud to serve, proud to support, and proud of our people.

07/17/2025

🚨 Deployment Update - day 4 (7/16/25)

On day 4 of deployment, ACEMS Medic 22, part of AST-6-24 with the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Region 6, was given a meaningful assignment. From 3 PM to 7 PM, our team partnered with TIFMAS Crew 158 Fresno Fire & Rescue Fort Bend ESD No.7 to provide coverage out of Kerrville Fire Department Station 3, so the local crews could step back, regroup, and receive much-needed peer support.

The reality is that first responders often witness things most people never have to imagine, scenes that are tragic, heartbreaking, and heavy to carry. As much as we are trained for the job, we are still human. Sometimes, we need a moment to breathe, reset, and lean on each other.

We are proud to stand beside Kerrville Fire and do our small part to help their team rest and recover in the midst of these challenging days.

We’re here for the mission, and we’re here for each other.

07/17/2025

Yesterday, ACEMS had the solemn honor of helping bring Ms. Virginia Hollis home from San Antonio.

It is always a privilege to serve our community, especially during moments of such deep significance. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Hollis family during this time of loss.

Rest easy, Ms. Hollis.

07/16/2025

07/16/2025

Even while deployed, away from family, and working hard to help others, our team made sure to take a moment to celebrate one of their own.

Happy birthday to our Clinical Manager and Captain, Justin Ward! Thank you for your dedication and sacrifice - spending your birthday in service to others is a true reflection of your leadership.

We appreciate you, Captain. Stay safe and keep leading the way! 🫡🎉

07/16/2025

🚨 Day 3 deployment update:

As of right now, ACEMS unit remains of standby, waiting for an assignment. The recent rain and flood has really set back this massive operation.

The Texas Emergency Medical Task Force has responded with 224 personnel and 130 assets deployed across 11 regions since July 4, 2025, and is supported from 85 dedicated agencies from across the state.