New Jefferson City EMS center aims to improve response times | Mid-Missouri News [Video]

JEFFERSON CITY — After 16 months of planning and construction, the new EMS center in downtown Jefferson City has officially opened its doors.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday celebrated the new facility, which leaders and first responders describe as a cornerstone of the community. 

“This is a project that has been almost two years in the making,” said Eric Hoy, chief of Cole County EMS. “We hope this building becomes a cornerstone — a beautiful space the community can take pride in and a facility that helps us reduce response times, improve access and ultimately save lives.”

The new center addresses long-standing challenges faced by Cole County EMS crews. For the past decade, the downtown ambulance operated out of the Cole County Sheriff’s Office, effectively the county jail — a temporary solution that lasted almost a decade. The old location lacked natural light and space and had room for only …