EMS East Steps Closer to Completion and to Bringing Life-Saving Services to Swannanoa
Construction on Buncombe County’s new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Facility is underway, with the timeline to open the facility well on track.
The new EMS East station, in front of the Owen Pool at 750 Old U.S. 70 Highway, began construction earlier this year as part of the County’s continued investment in public safety.
Crews worked on completing roof framing structure on the entire building. This structure must receive engineering and building inspector approval before crews continue working by installing the roof decking.
Exterior wall sheathing was also installed, closing in the structure and getting closer to the final product.
This facility is the first standalone EMS station ever built by Buncombe County. The new base is located on the outer lot currently housing extra parking spaces for Owen Pool closest to Old 70. To avoid any impact on traffic flows, an additional parking lot was constructed at 121 Stone Drive, adjacent to the pool.
Project Timeline
- Completion is on track for December 2026.
- Furniture and appliance installation is slated for early 2027.
- Estimated facility occupancy is February 2027.
Project Background
To shorten emergency response times in the eastern portion of the County, a new EMS facility is being built in Swannanoa. In addition to improving response times, the new facility will address call volume growth to provide faster services to residents during emergencies and potentially save more lives.
The facility will be 12,214 square feet with three double-loaded bays holding six emergency vehicles. It will also include:
- A bay area with an exhaust protection system
- 12 bedrooms,
- Aday room, a kitchen, and a dining area.
- A medical supply and equipment storage room
More details on the facility were provided at a presentation earlier this year.
The EMS East facility will be staffed and operational 24/7 and will house two paramedics with one ambulance, a community paramedic unit, and one EMS supervisor.
With sustainability as a County priority, the facility is all electric and will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards. This also includes solar panels and EV chargers that meet LEED standards.
The total project is estimated to cost a little over $10 million dollars.
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