Number of fatality crashes in Wichita down compared to previous years
4 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The National EMS Memorial Service made a stop in Wichita Monday during its Moving Honors, a procession to remember and honor the emergency medical services personnel who have died in the line of duty.
Moving Honors started in California and will end in Virginia, honoring 59 people along the way.
Two of those people being honored this year are from Kansas. They are McPherson EMS EMT Randall “Randy” Willems and Woodson County EMS Paramedic Tina Evenson.
Willems started what would be his 24-year EMS and firefighting career as a volunteer at the McPherson Fire Department. He retired as the division chief in June 2019. Afterward, he went to work for McPherson EMS. Willems died on Jan. 12, 2022, due to COVID-19.
Randy defined what a heart-filled, dedicated man should be. Randy, being an incredibly capable man, invoked confidence in those around him. As a role model, Randy inspired many young firefighters and EMS professionals alike and his reputation is used to encourage and motivate those who will follow in his shoes. Randy will be forever loved by all those who knew him.”
National EMS Memorial Bike Ride
Evenson became a paramedic in 1997 and started her career at Sedgwick County EMS. She then became an RN and worked at several hospitals. She was the first full-time paramedic when she joined Woodson County EMS. She was set to graduate with her FNP in December 2022. Evenson died on May 28, 2022, due to mental illness.
She had a ridiculous number of jokes, a thirst for knowledge and to desire to further her education. Tina had a tremendous amount of knowledge about diseases that most people have never heard of. She spent massive amounts of time fully researching them so she could share it with confidence. She would ask, ‘Have you ever heard of…,’ and the laptop would open, and the lesson would begin. If there was a question asked of educational value and she was not positive of the answer, the laptop would come out and the research would begin. She was set to graduate with her FNP in December 2022.
Tina was truly one of a kind. The laughter, education, and amazing hugs when she knew you were having a bad day or if she was having a bad day were extraordinary. The amount of herself she gave to others is unmatched.”
National EMS Memorial Bike Ride
After Wichita, Moving Honors made its way down to Oklahoma to honor others.
When Moving Honors arrives in Virginia on July 20, it will kick off the Weekend of Honor.