By GINA KINSLOW
GLASGOW — The placement of an ambulance at the Glasgow Airport will reduce the Barren-Metcalfe Ambulance Service’s response time to emergencies along Interstate 65 by 10 minutes.
“If you can save a couple of minutes, that’s pretty good,” said Mike Swift, director of the Barren-Metcalfe Ambulance Service. “If you can cut off 10 minutes, that’s phenomenal.”
The ambulance, along with a medical helicopter, will be stationed at the Barren-Metcalfe Airport Station, a new facility that features hanger space for the medical helicopter and a bay for the ambulance, but also serves as living quarters for the helicopter and ambulance crews while on duty.
The new facility was constructed by Poynter Construction of Glasgow for just under $1 million, and was funded by two $500,000 grants - one from the state and the other from the Kentucky Association of Counties.
“We are very proud,” Swift said. “It was six years in the planning, but it’s finally come to fruition. So, we’re very happy.”
Swift noted that the project was not something he did alone.
“We are very proud of the fact that it is a team effort,” Swift said. “We may all wear different colored uniforms — the hospital, the ambulance service, the fire department, the police department, the sheriff’s department, but we are all part of the same team.”
Cave City and Park City officials are pleased that the ambulance service will be able to respond to emergencies on their side of the county much quicker now with the location of the ambulance the airport.
“Our fire department made 606 runs last year and about 95 percent of those were medical runs,” said Cave City Mayor Bob Hunt. “So, it’s going to help the community. I’m glad to see it out here.”
Park City Mayor David Lyons said the new facility is a “win-win situation” for everyone and pointed out EMTs who serve with the Park City and Cave City Volunteer Fire departments are usually first on the scene to emergencies along I-65. The location of the ambulance at the airport, he said, is a “step in the right direction.”
The Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce hosted an open house Thursday afternoon, during which tours of the new facility were given.
Leading one of the tours was Air Methods flight nurse Walter Middleton.
“Mike Swift has done a lot of work in designing this,” he said. “It was like his dream to have this station here. We appreciate all of his efforts. It is state of the art for us. The hanger is huge for the aircraft and we have very nice crew quarters. We love it so far.”
Air Methods moved into the new facility last week. Prior to moving into the new building, Air Methods’ crews operated out of a mobile home at the other end of the airport near the terminal. A flight nurse, a flight paramedic and a pilot are on duty at all times and made for some cramped space at times in the mobile home.
“We feel like we have a chance to spread out and do what we need to do,” said Kim McCarty, an Air Methods flight nurse. “It’s very nice.”
The ambulance service, however, has yet to move into the new facility due to a lack of phone and computer service, but expect to occupy the building very soon.
Ernie Myers, executive vice president of the Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce, commended Swift and the ambulance service staff.
“One of the shining sectors of Glasgow and Barren County’s economy has been its medical services. Mike Swift has done a yeoman job of emergency medical technician work. He does a super job of that. It’s because of his diligence that we are celebrating the opening of this building,” he said. “We are very happy to see this come to fruition.”
