Megan Navarro
WIMBERLEY — After serving a full 30-year stint with Wimberley Emergency Services (EMS), one thing remains true for Ken Strange as he enters into retirement: his heart for the community.
Before his time with the agency, Strange served in the United States Air Force for four years and then, landed in Wimberley from Florida in 1985. It was then that he was employed with Lear-Siegler as a traveling aircraft mechanic for 11 years, with the latter three being spent as a field team supervisor at Bergstrom Air Force Base.
“When I first got [to Wimberley], there were no stoplights in town,” Strange recalled. “There was a three-way stop at Ranch Road 12 and River Road and if you didn't get gas before 6 o'clock, you were out of luck; there was no gas until the next day. We had a little Country Boys grocery store and one doctor in town.”
His love for serving continued locally in Wimberley when he volunteered at the fire department, joining in 1989, during his free time at home. At the Wimberley Volunteer Fire Department, Strange earned multiple certifications, including basic firefighter, swiftwater rescue instructor and low to high angle instructor.
Strange entered his career as a paramedic naturally when he signed up for an Emergency Care Attendant — which is the lowest level of emergency medicine — class through the fire department. Once he got into it, he found that he thoroughly enjoyed the field and had a gift for working with people.
He was hired by Wimberley EMS on a part-time basis in 1991 and began his training as an emergency medical technician (EMT). By 1995, Strange received his EMT-paramedic license and began working full-time in 1996, before securing the director position in July 2004.
Being with the agency for an extended period of time, just like he has done with the town, Strange has been able to watch Wimberley EMS evolve over the years from being one of only three paid paramedics when he first joined to the current 17, along with two office staff members. He also helped install a brand new EMS station in 2020 completely debt-free.
“We worked 24 hours on, 24 hours off and even on your 24 hours off, you were expected to run calls if they got really busy, so I pretty much lived for Wimberly EMS for about the first three years,” Strange shared.
His drive for serving the Wimberley community extended into other endeavors over the years, including, but not limited to, building houses for Habitat for Humanity, being a voice on the Capital Area of Texas Regional Advisory Council executive board, advocating for mental and medical health, helping Barnabas Connection with its strategic and emergency plans and even deejaying school dances.
Strange was also recognized as a Hays County First Responder Hero after the 2015 flood that brought devastation to the Wimberley community; named Patriot of the Year in 2019; voted the Best of Wimberley Paramedic Award countless times; and was honored with Ken Strange Day in Wimberley Aug. 9, 2024, by Wimberley City Council.
Now, after 30 total years of serving through Wimberley EMS, Strange made the decision to step down and plans to turn his focus into his family-owned businesses, The Med Spa and Spoon Mountain Glamping.
Having served on the Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees since 2008, never having had an opponent run against him, he also plans to seek one more term after his current term expires in November.
The time he has spent being rooted into the local, supportive community is not lost on Strange. For him, he will miss the excitement of running calls and helping people when they are at their darkest time.
“I just love helping the people of Wimberley. I love this valley. It's just been a passion of mine to be involved in the community and I’ve loved everything about the job. I love everything about this town,” Strange concluded. “Thank you so much for supporting me all the years and encouraging me and just allowing me to be a part of this community; that's really where my heart is right now. I'm just very grateful for the time I got to spend here and I'm just really grateful for all the people I've got to meet.”
