Ringdahl looks back on 40 years of service

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Monday, February 11, 2008

John Ringdahl, a native of Milnor, N.D., was working in Minneapolis in 1967 when he read a notice about the need for a new ambulance service provider in Fergus Falls. At that time, 41 years ago, Fergus Bus Company operated the ambulance service in this area. Owner-operator Dowle Tomhave wanted to divest himself from the ambulance side of his business.

“I knew the Fergus Falls area fairly well, having fished at Stalker Lake near Dalton,” Ringdahl said. “Like many people living and working in the Twin Cities, I had a desire to get back to a rural area.”

In 1967 the Fergus Falls City Council took the lead in finding a replacement for Tomhave in running a new ambulance service. Ringdahl was eventually connected with then city council member Mel Olson.

“Fortunately for me, things worked out,” Ringdahl said, “and we officially began operations on Oct. 1, 1967.”

During those first few years he ran the ambulance business from his home at West Maple Street. In 1975 Ringdahl Ambulance Service moved to its present location on East Junius Avenue.

For many years, including the 1950s and 1960s, many funeral homes in Minnesota — including those in Fergus Falls — operated ambulance services. That changed in 1965-66 when, following Medicare legislation, more stringent federal regulations came into being. That’s when Fergus Bus Company, headed by Tomhave, decided to get into the ambulance business.

“Evan Glende had a 1958 DeSoto ambulance which later was purchased by Doyle (Tomhave),” Ringdahl said. “After we purchased the business from Doyle, we also came into possession of the DeSoto. I’m proud to say that to this very day it’s a restored vehicle that we still own, although not in operation.”

When he began his ambulance service in Fergus Falls a little over 40 years ago, Ringdahl had use of two ambulances. Today, there are four ambulances.

In 1968 Ringdahl and his employees, when they were not responding to emergencies, started building their own ambulance after purchasing a Chevrolet Suburban. They successfully turned the Suburban into a fine-running ambulance. World got around, and as a side business, Ringdahl and his employees began building ambulances for other communities.

In the 1970s Ringdahl, temporarily, expanded his ambulance operations to Crookston and Dickinson, N.D. From 1980 to 1990 he operated the ambulance business in Jamestown, N.D., in addition to the one in Fergus Falls. He sold the Jamestown business to his Jamestown manager and Fergus Falls native Jim Lunde. About three years ago Ringdahl’s son, Bjorn, purchased the business from Lunde.

Today, Ringdahl Ambulance operates ambulance services in Fergus Falls, Jamestown, Pelican Rapids and Lisbon, N.D. Ringdahl’s son, Tollef, now manages the businesses in Fergus Falls and Pelican Rapids. They have close to 40 full-time and part-time employees.

“I don’t consider myself fully retired, but I’m not involved with the daily operations anymore,” Ringdahl said. “It’s rewarding to come here to the facility in Fergus Falls and become aware of the many changes taking place in this business. I also enjoy the camaraderie with the people who work here.”

Ringdahl praises the many training opportunities that make for better ambulance service these days — of critical importance when transporting people to hospitals following emergencies. New equipment amazes him, especially compared to when he began operations over 40 years ago.

On the down side, Ringdahl said, is the mountain of government paperwork that goes along with running an ambulance service these days. To be sure, he said that some of the paperwork and regulations are necessary. But some are not, he added.

“Looking back, it’s been a very rewarding 40 years serving people here in the Fergus Falls area, and Otter Tail County in general,” Ringdahl said. “I never regretted moving from Minneapolis to Fergus Falls. This is a great place to live.”