A ribbon-cutting will mark today’s grand opening of Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Service’s newest ambulance station – an improved Ironton facility.

Saturday, December 02, 2000

A ribbon-cutting will mark today’s grand opening of Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Service’s newest ambulance station – an improved Ironton facility.

Although the station has been operational for a short while, SEOEMS and the Lawrence County Commission will hold a public open house there at 2 p.m. today.

The new EMS station, located at the corner of Eighth and Pleasant streets, is the latest EMS facility to open in the county this year, executive director Eric Kuhn said.

It replaces a 26-year-old building located adjacent to the River Valley Health System.

Earlier this year, a completely new station was opened in Aid Township. And a new building was constructed for the Chesapeake SEOEMS station on County Road 1 next to the library.

Kuhn said the bigger facility has been needed in Ironton for several years.

"The old building had one bedroom and one bathroom, along with a common kitchen/living room," Kuhn said. "There are four people on duty every day at the station, and each morning at shift change eight people were in the building at one time."

The new building also adds a third garage so that a back-up ambulance can be stored out of the weather.

In addition, the new station allows for separate sleeping and restroom facilities for male and female employees, an office/bunkroom for the daily shift commander and a large living room, Kuhn said.

The station is also equipped with a full residential kitchen for the convenience of the employees.

Kuhn added that the new stations demonstrate the commitment of SEOEMS and the commissioners to provide quality emergency medical services to the county.

"We would also like to thank River Valley for its assistance and cooperation with this project," he said.

The hospital exchanged the property for the new EMS station to the county for the old EMS building, which will allow for expansion of the hospital’s radiology department, officials said.