EMS Station 4 & 9 to open this October
The new station will serve as a blueprint for future stations.
October 13, 2020 | Wilson
By the end of October, Lancaster County’s EMS Station 4 & 9 will be operational. The station, which is located off Old Bailes Road near the intersection of S.C. 160 and Calvin Hall Road, will serve as a blueprint for future stations.
The name 4 & 9 reflects the combination of the new Station 9 with the existing Station 4, which is currently located off U.S. 521 near Indian Land High School. As soon as Station 4 can move into its new home, plans can begin on remodeling and expanding the Indian Land Recreation Center which is located next door.
“The county is incredibly busy. Indian Land is the biggest area of growth, so this station is a must-have,” said Brian Collins, assistant training coordinator for Lancaster County EMS. “We are increasing our call volume every year by about 500 calls. We will probably get close to 18,000 this year.”
The new station will give Lancaster County EMS more of a presence in the north of the county. Coming from Station 4 to the north end of the county can take 6-7 minutes, and even longer with traffic. “Reducing emergency response time is always one of the biggest goals that we have,“ said Collins. “It is a safety issue, and a patient care issue.”
Clay Catoe, director of Lancaster County EMS is already looking to open another station by Tree Tops off Van Wyck Rd. to have a middle ground between Station 4 & 9 and Station 8 which is located at the entrance of Walnut Creek Park.
EMS Station 4 & 9
The 6,800 square foot building will be the largest of the county’s eight stations. It is oversized to allow for growth within the area. It features five bays to house emergency vehicles including a STAR (Specialized Tactic and Rescue) Team trailer. The STAR Team is for specialized rescues including Search and Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, and High Angle/Low Angle Rescue. “We will also have a bike team that will come out of here that can respond to public events,” added Collins.
Inside features six bedrooms, each set up with its own bed, nightstand, tv, and closet. There are two bathrooms, two shower rooms, and a community area with big comfy chairs, a tv, and a large kitchen. When the summer rolls around, the team has plans to start a garden in the back of the building to offset their food.
The building provides a sense of home for the employees who work 24-hour shifts. “This place is one big family,” said Collins. “24 hours a day, 365 days a year, there are people on the trucks.”
Lancaster County EMS
Lancaster County EMS recently received the J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Award from the state for its EMS Boot Camp program that launched last year. The Boot Camp was a successful attempt to address the shortage of emergency medical workers. Five applicants were accepted into the program and were paid a salary to attend the training full time. After the 12-week program, all five became certified EMTs (Emergency Medical Technician) and now work for Lancaster County EMS.
Collins shared that the Boot Camp program is one of the programs he is most proud of. “We frequently see people on the worst day of their lives,” said Collins. “We have to be that calming influence and still provide excellent patient care. There is a lot of training that goes into that.“ The Boot Camp will be an annual program and will allow the county to train their EMTs on the way that they want their service to run.
In addition to emergency services, Lancaster EMS also provides free car seat installation checks, as well as provides regular training sessions in the community for CPR and first aid. They also work all the county football games as a standby presence.
Learn more about Lancaster County EMS and their Boot Camp here.
