After more than five decades in a repurposed World War II-era Quonset hut, Grand County EMS is preparing to open its doors to a new headquarters.

The new facility, next to Middle Park Health in Granby, replaces a decades-old station to better serve emergency responders and residents.

The original Quonset hut, that was added to Grand County EMS in 1970, was adapted to house a basic-level ambulance service.

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Quonset huts typically have a 20-year lifespan, according to EMS Chief Austin Wingate and Grand County Communications Director Christine Travis. Now covered in gopher holes, dust, and showing signs of deteriorating infrastructure, the structure no longer adequately meets the needs of Grand County EMS and residents, according to Wingate.

The new station has been in the works for about three years, Wingate said. After 18 months of construction, Grand County EMS Station 1 will officially open to the public Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 4 to 6 p.m. at 700 Granby Park Dr. South.

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The new facility was completed on time and under budget, Travis said. Although the final project cost has not yet been released, Travis sent Sky-Hi News a breakdown of the largest project funders.

Most of the project was financed through certificates of participation proceeds and bonds, which provided approximately $25.2 million combined. Additional funding came from grants and Grand County EMS.

The final product addresses long-standing needs of EMS crews and the broader community, according to Wingate and Grand County Project Manager Jeff Hickam.

New amenities include an expanded ambulance bay, reliable hot water for crew showers, and multipurpose rooms that residents and officials can rent for meetings.

Some residents have said that the new station is “too large,” but Wingate said the size is meant to accommodate the growing needs of the county for the next 30 years.

Wingate added that for every concerned resident, nine others are looking forward to the new station.

For crews who have spent years working out of the aging Quonset hut, the new headquarters represents more than additional space.

Wingate said the transition is “emotional” and “exciting.” Crews will no longer have to worry about whether they will have access to hot water or whether a door will close properly —after a difficult call.

“To be able to eliminate that […] one more stressor on top of an already stressful job is just — I don’t know that I have good words that can describe that,” Wingate said.

A station for the community

Grand County’s new EMS headquarters is divided into two sections: a community space and EMS operations, according to Hickam and Wingate.

The community section features rooms designed to accommodate a variety of uses.

“The center portion of this building was really designed to serve far beyond just answering ambulance calls,” Wingate said.

Residents and officials can rent rooms for meetings or community events, Wingate said. The space is also equipped with two scenario training rooms for emergency medical technician and paramedic students.

Before the new station, training was held in an old facility that once served as the county’s recycling building, Wingate said.

The community spaces were also designed to shelter residents in the event of an emergency evacuation, Wingate said. EMS has an offsite trailer that they can use to provide emergency evacuation spaces with cots, he said.

Expanded ambulance bay

The ambulance bay, where EMS stores trucks and deploys them when crews receive a call, is one of the most significant upgrades to EMS 1.

At the old Quonset hut, the bay doors are just 6 inches wider than the ambulances, making parking difficult, according to Shift Capt. Logan Price.

The new bay doors can accommodate any EMS vehicle, he said.

For the first time, the headquarters will have enough indoor space to store all its ambulances, Wingate said.

At the Quonset hut, some ambulances had to be parked outside, exposing the vehicles to the elements and shortening the lifespans of these $350,000 vehicles, according to Wingate.

The bay area also has an in-house mechanic and shop area, allowing EMS and Sheriff’s vehicles to receive maintenance without relying on the limited number of mechanics located in Grand County.

Another addition to the station is a vehicle-wash system that recycles water, allowing crews to clean ambulances more regularly while reducing water use.

The old station did not have a water-recycling system, and drought conditions forced crews to leave trucks without a wash for long periods.

“Having clean, functional trucks is important to me for hygiene, safety, all of those things. But it’s hard to justify washing trucks multiple times a day when you’re in a water shortage,” Wingate said.

Upgraded living quarters for EMS crews

The new station’s living quarters are a major improvement over the accommodations at the former station, Wingate said.

Full-time crew members spend their 48-hour shifts at the station. Wingate said that it was important to create a comfortable environment where they could rest and recharge between emergency calls.

The new station has a lounge area with reclining couches and a television, along with a dining room and kitchen equipped with three refrigerators and a fully functional stovetop and oven.

It also has double the number of bunks: the former station had five official bunks for sleeping, along with makeshift sleeping areas, including a repurposed basement room, Wingate said.

The new design honors requests from crew members to include a meditation space. Wingate said that research shows that providing a space for crews to collect themselves after a difficult call is “important to retain them long term in the field.”

Another improvement is a more accessible supply room, which crews use to restock ambulances with medications and equipment.

At the old station, supplies were stored on the second floor of the Quonset hut, forcing crew members to crawl on their hands and knees to get necessary supplies, according to Wingate.

When asked what crew members thought of the new station, Wingate said they are very excited.

“They are absolutely ecstatic to be in a space that’s purpose-built, designed for what it is, has hot showers.” Wingate said.

For Shift Capt. Logan Price, the new station represents “resiliency.”

“It’s kind of like buying your own new place and the excitement of moving to a new future; into a new endeavor,” he said.