BROOKINGS – Brookings Health System invites the public to tour the new Ambulance Station and Education Center, located at 2300 Yorkshire Drive, from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, during an open house. 

The new 7,160-square-foot facility creates a headquarters for Brookings Health System’s ambulance service while also serving the health emergency education needs of the community.

“Brookings Health has operated the ambulance service for the City of Brookings and much of Brookings County since 1974. In that time, the ambulance service has never had a permanent home and its own dedicated space until now,” Ambulance Director Gordon Dekkenga said.

When the health system first took on the ambulance service, staff parked ambulance vehicles in the emergency room’s attached garage. The vehicles would block other incoming emergency vehicles that required access to the ER. For ER efficiency, the ambulance service was moved to a leased location along Eighth Street South in 2009. While functional, that space was not optimal. 

The new station is designed to house emergency medical services and moves the ambulance station back in close proximity to Brookings Hospital and the ER. It houses all four advanced life support (ALS) vehicles, the mass casualty vehicle and the mobile first-aid station trailer while providing proper storage areas for medical supplies. It also provides living quarters for ambulance staff working overnight or 24-hour shifts, including bedrooms, bathrooms and a kitchen. Connecting these areas together under one roof creates increased efficiency and even quicker response times for ambulance staff.

“Our ambulance team serves the same critical need for our community as law enforcement and fire and rescue. Improving dispatch and response times even by seconds can mean the difference between life and death for individuals who face medical emergencies,” said Dekkenga.

The station’s location is strategically placed to service the majority of call volume for both the city and county while maintaining strong access to respond to other advanced life support calls throughout the local area.

“The location on Yorkshire Drive gives us quick access to 22nd Avenue and main routes. It also gives us improved access to I-29, a hot spot, unfortunately, for accidents,” Dekkenga said.

The new station also enables the ambulance service to attend to the growing needs of the community. In 2017, Brookings Health System’s ambulance service made over 2,285 calls, a 40 percent increase in call volume since 2009. 

The education center inside the facility will hold training sessions for Brookings Health System employees and the community alike. Starting in March, First Aid and CPR community classes will be held in the education center. Community members can register for these classes online at www.brookingshealth.org/events. 

Brookings Health System’s ambulance service provides emergency 911 ALS services for the City of Brookings, much of Brookings County and the communities of Aurora, Bruce, Bushnell, Sinai and Volga. It also assists area ambulance services from Arlington, Clear Lake, Elkton, Estelline, White and Lake Preston when requested. It handles both local and long-distance transports as well as emergency and non-emergency transfers. 

More information about the ambulance service can be found online at www.brookingshealth.org/Ambulance.