New Buchanan County EMS facility opens in Downtown St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Community members gathered Friday morning to celebrate the official opening of the new Downtown EMS facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The facility, located at 701 S. Seventh Street, is expected to meet the growing demand for emergency medical services in the Downtown area.

"The inner city of Saint Joe is one of our busiest areas," said Wally Patrick, Buchanan County EMS executive director. "When we started looking for a site for the new Post 2, we decided this location met all of our criteria."

The $1.2 million facility is more spacious and features a three-bay design, allowing room for an additional ambulance to be housed indoors.

It also includes enhanced safety features, including a controlled gate access that automatically closes as trucks enter and exit, giving EMS crews a better chance to spot anyone on the property who shouldn't be there. 

"With the occurrence of violence increasing throughout the country, we want to be proactive, rather than reactive," Patrick added. "This all started with the tax vote last year. It gave us the ability to provide a safe location for our crews between calls and ensures they're not sitting in a truck for 12.5 hours on a street corner."

Local paramedics say they're passionate about their work and grateful to now operate from a facility that better supports their mission. 

"This development is important for helping us get to where we need to go more quickly," said Buchanan County paramedic Harris Gulledge. "I've done this since I was 18. Serving the community is something I feel like I have to do but I love doing it."