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Lakes Region EMS opens new stationBy Danielle Strenke Lakes Region Emergency Management Service (LREMS) moved into its new headquarters in the North Branch Industrial Park Nov. 24, and Executive Director Todd Fisk said the only thing that has changed about the company is its location. The EMS service relocated its administrative offices from relatively cramped quarters in Chisago City to the new building. The North Branch station was also moved to the new headquarters, from its extremely cramped quarters in the old North Branch fire station building. The new building is just under 6,000 square feet. Along with space for offices, it includes a 4-bay heated garage for two ambulances and two additional LREMS vehicles. The garage includes a decontamination station and laundry facilities as well. Adjacent to the garage is the crew quarters, allowing EMS teams space to enjoy some of the comforts of home when they are not out on calls, including two small sleeping rooms, a kitchen and a lounge area. All of the moving and unpacking is still not complete, Fisk said, and he is concerned that all of the training equipment and tables will not fit in the room. ìWeíve accumulated this equipment over the years, so weíll have to take a look at it and see if we can maybe get rid of some of it,î he said. ìEverything has its own place,î Fisk said. Fisk said there is still about one truckload of supplies to move from the Chisago City location, and organizing the new building will take a little more time. And like any move into a new building, there are growing pains, he said. Fisk said Lakes Region EMS started to look at the possibility of constructing a new headquarters in 2001, and sent the project out for bids in the fall of 2002. Groundbreaking at the site was held in spring of this year. All of the costs associated with purchasing the land and constructing the new headquarters were footed by Lakes Region, Fisk said. ìNo tax dollars were used here,î he said. ìWeíre a non-profit corporation, so any dollars coming into the company stays in the company.î Land purchase for the building was around $40,000, with construction costs totaling $432,000. Fisk said he has heard concerns that service from LREMS will now change as well. ìWe will still operate everything the same,î he said. ìWe still have the three bases in North Branch, Rush City and Chisago City and weíll still be offering coverage to the entire county.î LREMS staffs the three bases full-time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Fisk, who has been with the company since starting off with North Branch Ambulance in 1978, said the preferred site for the new headquarters was next to the new North Branch Fire Department headquarters on Co. Rd. 30, but ìcosts were too prohibitiveî to locate there. LREMS paramedic John Fox said the biggest difference for the crews is having a bigger space when theyíre on duty in North Branch. ìIn our old facility, everything was within space about the size of a master bedroom,î he said. ìThat included space for the truck and our work space too.î Fisk said they are pleased that the new headquarters was built modestly, with the intent to utilize all of the space within the building to a maximum. Residents will also have the opportunity to tour the building during an open house as part of EMS week in early May. ©ECM Post Review |