Martens Honored With VFW Public Servant Award

The respect shown by the staff of Frances Mahon Deaconess Stat Ambulance to Valley County Dispatch Supervisor Kim Martens is overwhelming. And seeing that respect for her work, the Montana State Veterans of Foreign Wars honored Martens with their VFW Public Servant Award Citation and, in addition, named her the VFW State of Montana EMS Dispatcher of the Year.

"Kim is an instrumental part of our Emergency Medical System. We know that we will always have the most accurate information in order to respond and perform our job when she is leading the call. It has been my absolute honor to work alongside Kim in the Emergency Response System and the pride in which she does her job is beyond compare," wrote Kalu Jensen-Rogenes in the nomination letter she submitted. "Kim's humility in serving the people of Valley County sets an example to others of what public service really means."

Jensen-Rogenes told the Courier she believes the ambulance crew here waited two months to hear back about their submission. Martens learned of the nomination and awards March 10, during a conversation with the author of the letter, she recounted. "She gave me the nomination letter and it brought me to tears to read the words they wrote. In this job my goal is try every day to do my very best and help people in a way that makes whatever they are going through just a little bit easier," Martens said. "So to know that Kalu and the EMS staff feel that they can depend on me in those situations makes me feel like I am doing what I can to attain that goal."

Martens has been with Valley County dispatch since 2003 and was promoted to dispatch supervisor in 2017. She is also the telecommunication officer, the terminal agency coordinator for the criminal justice database and is certified as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher. She was named Montana's Dispatcher of the Year in 2004.

Jensen-Rogenes' nomination letter makes clear that Martens' role goes beyond the titles she holds, outlining how the award winner "meticulously performs her duties in dispatching appropriate help" while "speaking to crying or hysterical people under great distress, injured and fearful" while gathering necessary information for emergency responders, law enforcement and/or firefighters. "She is masterful at handling multiple traumatic calls and handling stressful radio incidents without fail," wrote Jensen-Rogeness on behalf of FMDH State Ambulance.

"I don't think that our community realizes what Kim and her staff do for them. Law Enforcement, fire and EMS get a lot of thanks for what they do but it all starts with the dispatchers and we have some of the most knowledgable and trained dispatchers," Jensen-Rogenes told the Courier. "They are the first contact in any emergency."

No award presentation has been scheduled as yet. Martens is unsure when such a ceremony will take place and is waiting on word from the VFW or Sheriff Tom Boyer.