Nelson Honored as She Retires After 30+ Years as a Paramedic

Fayette County Commissioners Court signed a proclamation last Thursday recognizing Patty Nelson for her outstanding career as a paramedic. Nelson retired from Fayette County EMS last week after more than 30 years of service as a licensed paramedic. Pictured are (back, from left) Fayette County EMS Director Josh Vandever, Patty Nelson, Nelson’s mother Jean Reitan, brother Wayne Nelson and partner Cindy Johnston, (front) Pct. 4 Commissioner Drew Brossmann, Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff, County Judge Dan Mueller, Pct. 2 Commissioner Clint Sternadel and Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom. Photo by Andy Behlen

Patty Nelson of Fayette County EMS retired last week after more than 30 years of service as an EMS paramedic. Fayette County Commissioners Court signed a proclamation at their meeting last Thursday recognizing Nelson for her outstanding career.

“Patty has a long and storied career in EMS, not only in Fayette County, but also as the EMS Director for Colorado County EMS,” said Fayette County EMS Director Josh Vandever.

Vandever said he first got to know Nelson when he came back to lead Fayette County EMS in 2020.

“When I started in 2020 during the middle of COVID, morale was struggling and we were facing a worldwide pandemic,” Vandever said. “All the politics associated with that were affecting us. A third of our paramedic positions were open, and paramedics weren’t exactly falling out of trees. Patty was a consummate professional. She always had a good attitude and a smile. She is an extremely loving human being. It is heartbreaking for everyone that she is retiring. But we are all so thankful she has had the career that she has had, always with a smile on her face.”

Vandever said the average career span as a paramedic in the United States is just 6½ years.

“Patty has been a paramedic almost as long as I’ve been alive,” Vandever said. “She’s loved by everyone she works with. That, in and of itself, is a very rare thing. I’d be willing to bet every dollar in my bank account that you could not find one person willing to say something negative about Patty at Fayette County EMS.

“We love you, we’re going to miss you,” Vandever said.

County Judge Dan Mueller read the proclamation at the meeting.

The proclamation read, in part, “Throughout her distinguished career, Paramedic Nelson has responded to thousands of emergency calls, providing critical pre-hospital care, saving lives, comforting families, and mentoring fellow EMS personnel.”

Pct. 4 Commissioner Drew Brossmann, who also serves as an assistant chief with the Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department, said he often worked side-by-side with Nelson during vehicle crashes.

“You can always tell when someone knows what they’re doing, because they are super calm and collected,” Brossmann said. “All these wild and crazy wrecks we go to, people are hollering and screaming, and she just stays focused and does her job. Whenever you have people like that, who are in charge, it helps calm everybody down. I cannot give her enough credit for what she’s done all these years. Great job.”

Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff said he often observed Nelson working at the EMS Station in Flatonia, which is located next to the Pct. 3 Road and Bridge warehouse.

“Just about every day they’re out there washing (the ambulance),” Berckenhoff said. “She’s been working 34 years, and she doesn’t need to be washing the ambulance. But she’s out there with all the rest doing the exact same thing. She doesn’t shirk any job. It’s nice to see that.”

The County also presented Nelson with a plaque to mark her retirement. Several of Nelson’s family members were on hand for the presentation, including her mother Jean Reitan, brother Wayne Nelson and partner Cindy Johnston.

Fayette County EMS held a retirement reception for Nelson at the EMS Headquarters in La Grange following the Commissioners Court meeting.