The new EMS station is right next to the Wabasca/Desmarais Healthcare Centre, and features “modern, comfortable lodgings” for EMS crews and a conference room.

Freed up space in the healthcare centre formerly used by EMS personnel is now being used to create a permanent area for occupational therapy and physiotherapy services, along with staff training, according to the EMS press release.

The cost of the facility is expected to be between $220,000 and $250,000. According to Tom Kent, president of the board of the directors, “When my father was president of the organization he started squirrelling away money for a new building. He put it away in annuities, so now we have $100,000 toward the cost.”

The 21-year-old driver of the Toyota was briefly trapped in the vehicle and was taken to Duke University hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One medic in the ambulance was also taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.