Cole County EMS breaks ground on new headquarters

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County EMS celebrated the groundbreaking of its new headquarters at Adams and McCarty streets near the county jail on Friday.

The headquarters will include office space for administrative personnel, living quarters for crews and training rooms.

"There's going to be a community classroom that allows for outreach such as hands-only CPR and stop-the-bleed training. So, not only is it going to augment us from an emergency response standpoint, but we're hopeful that it will build a more resilient community as well," EMS Chief Eric Hoy said.

Officials say the location of the headquarters is important. The only ambulance in downtown Jefferson City is stationed at the Cole County Jail. This ambulance responds to more than 3,000 calls a year, which is 1,000 more than the other stations.

The location of the headquarters would place another ambulance in the area, aiding in response times and helping to relieve crews.

Cole County officials say the new headquarters is expected to cost $4.8 million. Part of the cost will be covered by a $2 million Community Development Block Grant awarded to Cole County and Jefferson City. Another $2 million has been set aside from an EMS sales tax. How the rest of the cost will be covered is yet to be decided.

The Cole County Commission has contracted GBH Builders to construct the facility. When the contract was signed in May, it was estimated the project would take 420 days which is July 16, 2024.