LANCASTER, Pa. — May 19 through the 25 is National EMS Week and 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the week which recognizes these first responders.
In Lancaster, one of the region's busiest EMS providers is gearing up to expand to a new building.
It’s a project 15 years in the making that's finally coming to reality for Bob May, executive director of Lancaster EMS.
“It’s been a long time coming," he told FOX43 on Monday. “I’ve gotten a few more gray hairs since then, but I’m glad to see this day is finally here.”
He says over the last several years, Lancaster EMS has seen the impact of the area's population boom firsthand.
“We really have challenges going from about 80 calls a day 15 years ago to over 150 calls a day, today," said May.
Currently, the EMS provider operates administratively out of three buildings, including one on Lincoln Highway E. in East Lampeter Township and one on E. Charlotte Street in Millersville.
“We have issues with parking, we have staff that sometimes have to park a block away," said May.
Its community paramedic program has also been stunted, with no more room to grow. Lancaster EMS also runs an EMT academy. May says they've had to limit the number of students because of space limitations.
In 2022, Lancaster EMS purchased the former AMVETS building on Fairview Avenue in Lancaster. for $1.97 million After a year and a half of working through the logistics and permitting, work has started to transform the building into its new administrative headquarters. It'll be the provider's twelfth location.
It won't be used as an emergency dispatch station. Rather, it will provide a larger home for Lancaster EMS's community paramedics program, EMT academy and fleet maintenance.
An additional 4,600 square feet will be added to the current building. Another new building will be built toward the back of the property for fleet maintenance. The back pavilion building will be turned into a logistics and supplies space.
The new location is expected to boast 110 parking spots.
Lancaster EMS is also selling its current Millersville station which is located at 100 E. Charlotte Street in Millersville. That dispatch station will then move a few blocks away to 237 N. George Street, to a property Lancaster EMS will lease from Millersville University.
When all is said and done, all administrative staff will, for the first time, be under one roof.
“We do a lot of [Microsoft] Teams, we do a lot of commuting back and forth to have meetings, this solves that problem," said May.
He says the new space will improve operations, reduce response times, and benefit not only first responders but the community they serve.
“Obviously there’s a need for the services we’re providing and that need translates to more space," he explained.
The new headquarters is expected to be operational by early 2025.
Construction and renovation costs are anticipated to come in around $6.1 million, putting the entire project at just over $8 million.
Lancaster EMS has secured a loan, applied for state funding, and will start a capital campaign this summer.
It also plans to recoup some of the money through the sale of the E. Charlotte Street station, which is currently on the market for $785,000, according to May.
He says any other costs will be paid for through savings. At this time, May says there are no plans to raise subscription fees to help cover the project cost. However, he does anticipate a fee increase at some point in the next few years, like what would happen with or without the new building.
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