Lee County EMS serves the communities of Keokuk, Fort Madison, and Donnellson from three stations across Lee County, Iowa. The department handles more than 5,500 emergency calls per year with a team of 44 dedicated professionals — 18 paramedics, 19 EMTs, 3 shift captains, 3 office staff, and 1 maintenance employee — running 24-hour shifts, 365 days a year.

As a government entity, Lee County EMS faces strict budget constraints that limit spending on moralebuilding, non-essential training supplies, team clothing, meals for staff meetings, and items like teddy bears to comfort frightened children on calls. Friends of LCEMS was founded to fill exactly that gap — creatively and generously — through fundraising, community engagement, and merchandise sales. The department recently adapted to longer transport distances after the Keokuk hospital closure, requiring crews to manage critically ill patients for 30 to 60 minutes en route to the next closest emergency department. Their resilience and professionalism in the face of these new demands is the spirit this website should reflect.