SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County is moving forward with construction of its first standalone Emergency Medical Services station, a project officials say will shorten ambulance response times in the Swannanoa Valley and improve emergency care for residents in eastern Buncombe County.
The new EMS East station is being built at 750 Old U.S. 70, on county-owned property in front of Owen Pool. County leaders expect the facility to open in February 2027.
Jamie Judd, Buncombe County EMS division manager, said in a social media post the project grew out of a 2023 countywide EMS study that identified a gap in emergency coverage between the department’s Reynolds and Black Mountain stations.
“The study showed increased response times into the Swannanoa Valley,” Judd said.
This location allows us to better cover that area, reduce response times and improve service for the people who live here, he said.
The station will operate around the clock and initially house a paramedic-level ambulance staffed by two credentialed paramedics, along with an EMS operations supervisor and a community paramedic.
Robert Brown, a project manager in Buncombe County’s General Services Department, said the 12,210-square-foot building was designed specifically for EMS operations.
The facility will include three double-loaded apparatus bays capable of housing six emergency vehicles, 12 bedrooms, a day room, kitchen, dining area, medical supply storage and other support spaces.
Because the station must remain operational during emergencies, Brown said it is being built to higher structural standards than a typical building.
“It’s an essential facility,” Brown said in the social media post. “The structural integrity of this building has to be at a substantially higher level for earthquakes and for wind.”
Construction is taking place on what had been the front parking area for Owen Pool. To replace those spaces, the county has built a new parking lot nearby off Stone Drive, which officials say will provide sufficient parking for pool visitors.
The project carries a price tag of just more than $9.99 million.
County officials said the building also will incorporate sustainability features that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, including solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and energy-efficient building systems.
Judd said the Swannanoa station represents the beginning of a broader effort to expand EMS infrastructure across Buncombe County as demand for emergency medical services continues to grow.
“This is our first step in a larger project to meet the needs of the county,” he said.