Pioneering Allina Health EMS chaplain retires after decades of service

[Pioneer Press, December 15, 2024] After 31 years of service at Allina Health, Pastor Russ Myers has retired, leaving behind a rich legacy. He is a pioneer when it comes to chaplaincy and emergency medical services (EMS). He spent 18 years developing the work with Allina Health EMS. He is essentially the caretaker for the caretakers, helping paramedics and emergency medical technicians process the tough experiences that come with their job.

The Pioneer Press interviewed Pastor Russ. Here’s an excerpt of the article written by Mara Gottfried:

When Russ Myers became a chaplain working with EMTs and paramedics in the Twin Cities, he decided to take a college course on emergency medical care.

He never aspired to do their work — “I was aware of my own anxiety about sticking needles in people’s arms,” the pastor said. But he wanted to understand their work, so he could look after the well-being of crews as they cared for others.

“As I started, I think I probably knew as much about EMS as the general public, which is to say, not very much,” Myers said recently. “I thought it was all lights and sirens, a lot of trauma, a lot of drama. I came to realize that it’s all those things, but that’s really a small part of it.”