Officials from the North Hays County Emergency Services District 1 officially opened EMS Station 75 Saturday before an audience of about 40 guests.
Members of the Dripping Springs HS band played the national anthem after the colors were posted by the color guard from Boy Scout Troop 280. After brief remarks by Travis county commissioner for precinct 4 Walt Smith and ESD1 vice president Dan O'Brien, guests got a rare opportunity to see the inside layout of the building, which now that the building is operational, is not open to the public.
Bob Luddy is the administrator of the North Hays County EMS district.
The oversight for the entire district is managed by an appointed commission.
In addition to Dan O’Brien, other ESD1 commissioners are Staci Dement, Cristina Nelson, Darrell Debish and Grant Tait.
Commissioners are volunteers and serve for two-year terms. Commissioners are appointed by the county commissioners court and must live in the district they serve.
North Hays County EMS is the emergency medical services provider for the northern portion of Hays County, including Dripping Springs, Driftwood and Henly, with a service area covering some 244 square miles.
The newly built Station 75, located at 31331 Ranch Road 12 and its sister station No. 74 on Heritage Oaks Drive have identical floor plans and their construction was completed this year.
Station 74 will have an open house later this fall. That campus also houses a separate administrative office building.
The two new locations will improve response times, helping to preserve human life, allowing Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics to provide the critical and timely care needed and if necessary, transport patients to medical facilities,” according to Bob Luddy, district administrator for the North Hays County EMS.
EMS stations 74 and 75 are architectural twins and designed to house up to three crews of two EMTs/ paramedics and ambulance rigs. The stations have living and sleeping quarters for three crews who provide emergency medical service readiness 24 hours, every day.
For now, each station will house one ambulance each and its two-person crews over three shifts. Station number 74, on Heritage Oaks Drive also has a building for administrative offices.
The stations are part of the district’s longrange plan to strategically serve the residents of North Hays county. As that population explodes the work to keep up with the increase in calls will also expand. The district is already looking at new station plans to support the growth in Driftwood.
The stations offer private sleeping bedrooms for emergency medical responders and a spacious living room and kitchen that feel more like a home than a government building. There is an indoor gym for staff to keep fit and a breezy outdoor patio for times EMTs can relax.
