Paramedic Billie Cobb, 33, was responding from home to cover the station at the Gerald Area Ambulance District.
"Our first crew had gone out, so she was coming in for the next call," said administrator Diane Angell. "Unfortunately she was the next call."
Angell said a pick up truck crossed the center line and struck Cobb's vehicle head-on at about 9:45 a.m., causing extensive injuries to Cobb and major damage to her vehicle.
Rescuers responded from the Gerald ambulance service as well as the Gerald-Rosebud Fire Department and the Buford-Leslie Fire Department. Cobb was flown to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis where she succombed to her injuries at about 4:50 p.m.
Angell said this is the first time in the ambulance service's 29-year history that they have responded to one of their own in a tragic accident, and the first time they have lost a member in the line of duty. She said members will soon undergo critical incident stress debriefing.
"It's just been devastating," she said.
Cobb had been working part-time for the ambulance service since March 20th, and previously worked for Abbott Ambulance in St. Louis for 11 years.
"She was a beautiful person, an excellent medic, and just an all-around wonderful person," Angell said. "There wasn't anybody that didn't enjoy being around her."
Cobb grew up in the tight-knit community, and in addition to working part-time as a paramedic, she was working at the Brentwood Animal Clinic and studying to become a veterinarian at the Univeristy of Missouri, Angell said.
Cobb did all of this while raising her three children; William, 17; Sam, 12; and Lindy, 10.
Angell said the Gerald Area Ambulance District is a small, tax-supported organization with four full-time employees and 26 part-time employees. Officials expect Cobb's death to be classified as line-of-duty.
A memorial service was held for Cobb on June 22 with full honors at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Gerald. Angell said about 250 people attended including many people from local EMS, firefighting and law enforcement organizations.
Donations in Cobb's memory may be made to the Eleanora P. Bangs Benefit for the Cobb Children, c/o Meyer-Hilke-Millard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 29, Gerald, MO 63037 or at any First Bank branch.
