EMS Jobs Created in Kentucky by New Facility

More EMS jobs could soon be created in Kentucky as one county builds a new emergency medical services facility.

Officials in Madison County are planning to construct a new EMS building, which will be located adjacent to the county's existing facility. The project is expected to cost about $2 million and take about nine months to complete.

"It will employ a lot of Madison County subcontractors," Michael Eaves, attorney for the county, told the Richmond Register. "This will be good for a lot of people in the county."

Officials expect the new facility to create jobs and ultimately result in better emergency management services for the county. The new building will be about 10,000 square-feet and allow room for more ambulances, in turn enhancing services to nearby cities.

"We have totally outgrown the facility," Carlos Coyle, Madison County EMS director, said. "The run volume has increased dramatically, and we're just totally out of room at this facility. It will more than double our space."

The existing county EMS facility, which was built in the 1970s and expanded in the early 1990s, will be given to Eastern Kentucky University. Although the school's administration has agreed to use the building, they have not yet said exactly what they will use it for.

"They have worked hard to make this happen, and we certainly appreciate that support from EKU," Coyle said. "It allows us to keep the ambulance service close to campus and close to Pattie A. Clay Regional Medical Center. And, from the university’s standpoint, it’s good for them.

"We train a lot of EKU's EMT and paramedic students, and they have to leave (the current facility) at 11 p.m. because we don't have enough sleeping areas," he continued. "We will be able to house them overnight (in the new facility) and let students get the real concept of being an EMT and a paramedic."