for THE PAPER
Burke County staff and officials celebrated the completion of the $6.8 million, 15,000-square-foot EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Headquarters last week with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by at least a hundred residents, EMS personnel, and other public officials.
The new station is located at 2611 N.C. 18 S in Morganton and was fully funded by state and federal grants.
The ambulance bay still smelled of new concrete as guests listened to speakers share their perspectives on the project.
“This building will serve as a central hub for emergency services leadership as well as operation coordination training and response for the county,” said Emergency Services Director James Robinson. “It strengthens our system’s readiness and improves the deployment capabilities that we will have to serve our community, and provides personnel the resources and the environment to unwind during those difficult calls.”
The building is the county’s new EMS Station I. It replaces the old station that EMS used for about 50 years behind Morganton’s UNC Health Blue Ridge Hospital.
Board of Commissioners Chairman Jeff Brittain said the new building includes space for six ambulances, housing for employees working 24-hour shifts, and space for the 12-hour transport division.
“Our EMS professionals deserve facilities that match the level of service they provide, and today, they have just that in this new facility,” Brittain said. “It has been thoughtfully designed to support operational efficiency, employee well-being, and the continued growth of emergency services all throughout Burke County.”
Read the full story in the Feb. 28 edition of The Paper.