Dare County opens rebuilt Manns Harbor EMS Station 8

Dare County officials and emergency responders gathered in Manns Harbor for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the rebuilt Manns Harbor EMS Station 8. The event included remarks from Jenny Collins, chief of the Dare County Emergency Medical Services department, and Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard.

Jenny Collins, chief of the Dare County Emergency Medical Services department, said the reconstructed station "is a testament of our unwavering commitment to our community and the support of our local government." She described the facility as designed around personnel safety and wellness and said it will better protect staff and equipment from significant weather events.

The station serves the Dare mainland portion west of the Virginia Dare Bridge and covers the largest geographic area in the county EMS system, Collins said. She told attendees the previous Station 8 was a pre-engineered metal building more than 29 years old; its layout combined living, kitchen, training and office space in one open area and offered "0 privacy for the crews." Collins said ambulances barely fit in the old apparatus bay and walls bore evidence of repeated contact with vehicle bumpers.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard said Station 8 is the fourth EMS site in Dare County to be renovated or rebuilt as part of a multi-site initiative to replace aging facilities. "This project is, incredibly important to Dare County," Woodard said, adding that the upgrades reflect the county's ongoing commitment to public safety and to responders who serve residents and the county's tens of thousands of annual visitors.

County officials and Collins said call volume across the county EMS system has risen in recent years and that incidents in the Station 8 coverage area have increased as well. The rebuilt Station 8, officials said, was designed to address those operational needs: larger apparatus bays with roll-up doors, space for ceiling-mounted equipment and vehicle charging cords, quieter bay doors, and improved crew living, kitchen and restroom facilities. Adjacent Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department buildings and the community center also received upgrades, including extended bay links, new cabinets and countertops, remodeled restrooms, new blinds and updated exterior lettering.

Contractors and design partners credited in remarks included Barnhill Construction and Oakley Collier Architects; county staff recognized for project management included County Manager Bobby Outten and Assistant County Manager Dustin Peel. Project leaders encouraged attendees to tour the new EMS station, the renovated fire department and the community center after the ceremony.

Officials noted Station 8 is the first facility completed as part of the second phase of the county's renovations. Construction on a new Kitty Hawk station was described as nearly finished, with a public celebration scheduled for August 4 at 3 p.m., according to remarks at the ceremony.

The ceremony closed with county leaders thanking contractors, county staff and volunteers. Officials said the new stations aim to help EMS personnel respond more quickly and safely to emergencies across Dare County.