Ryan Quinn to Leave Edina Fire Department After 19 Years
In a career where making quick decisions is an everyday occurrence, the decision to step away from the Edina Fire Department after more than 19 years of service was not an easy one for EMS Chief Ryan Quinn.
Quinn’s career began in 1995, when he was a volunteer firefighter in Bloomington. There, he was exposed to the medical side of firefighting for the first time after enrolling in an emergency medical technician class. The role in Bloomington helped lead to his first full-time firefighting job, which resulted in a relocation to Denver, Colorado. After three years with the Denver Fire Department, Quinn returned to Minnesota where he completed paramedic school while working at Hennepin County Medical Center and volunteering with the Eden Prairie Fire Department on the side.
In 2005, Quinn began working as a Firefighter/Paramedic with the City of Edina. He was named Fire Captain in July 2013. With over two decades of fire and medical experience, Quinn was promoted to his current role as EMS Chief in early 2019.
The EMS Chief is responsible for the coordination of medical direction at the Fire Department, as well as with various EMS agencies and committees to ensure the quality of operations. Additionally, the EMS Chief must ensure that staff is supplied with the medical equipment necessary for success in the field — everything from tools to ambulances.
“Ryan has served in multiple roles during his time at Edina Fire… In each of those roles, he worked to embody the values of the City,” said Fire Chief Andrew Slama.
For Quinn, improving cardiac arrest survival in Edina stood out as one of his proudest accomplishments.
Quinn helped establish a partnership with the University of Minnesota that brought the world’s first Mobile Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Truck and program to Edina Fire. ECMO is a lifesaving treatment that uses a pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung back into the bloodstream of victims. “Ryan is the reason that many of our partnerships exist today,” Slama said.
But the work Quinn did during his time at Edina Fire isn’t the only thing he will be remembered for. “Ryan was someone I always looked forward to working with. He was always quick with a joke and willing to make you smile. His easy-going attitude made him an ideal partner as he never seemed to get worked up on emergency calls,” said Fire Marshal Dave Ehmiller, who worked closely with Quinn for the past 15 years.
“It’s definitely a mix of emotions,” Quinn said. “I’m happy to have had a long and successful career, happy that I’m walking out the door on my own two feet, but sad that things are changing… and I’m really going to miss the camaraderie.”
The connection Quinn forged with the team was one of his biggest motivators.
Although Quinn’s time with Edina is coming to a close, his determination to serve is not. “I want to stay in the EMS world and continue helping people because that’s what I’ve done my whole career… It’s been a fulfilling career and I’m proud of the work we’ve been able to get done.”
A celebration of Quinn’s Edina Fire career will be held on his last day, Friday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m.