FIRST RESPONDERS BREAK GROUND ON NEW SHARED FACILITY
FIRST RESPONDERS BREAK GROUND ON NEW SHARED FACILITY
October 2, 2020
MONTGOMERY COUNTY – For the first time ever, Montgomery Fire Department (ESD #2), Montgomery County Hospital District EMS & Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will join forces to house personnel in the same facility to serve the residents of the Bentwater community and beyond. On Thursday, October 1st, 2020, a groundbreaking was held to commemorate this “first” in Montgomery County.
Construction will now begin on the facility that will be used as a fire station for Montgomery County ESD #2, EMS station for MCHD and an office space for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. To be located at 18294 FM 1097 West, on three acres near the West entrance of the Bentwater community, the station will be 9,472 square feet in size. It will include a kitchen, dayrooms for both fire and EMS personnel, an exercise room, at least six bedrooms and a large apparatus bay for emergency vehicles.
“It really is such an exciting moment for not only all of us, the first responder organizations, but the taxpayers of Montgomery County as well,” said James Campbell, Chief of EMS for MCHD. “We’ve been working together for quite some time to make this a reality because it’s really going to make a big difference for the residents we serve in this area.”
In 2018, MCHD began collaboration with Montgomery County ESD #2 and Montgomery County ESD #3 on another shared facility at 19530 Keenan Cutoff Road, which has proven to be a success and a huge tax savings. Adding the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to the equation will make this new collaboration a first of its kind for the county.
“Having three county agencies working out of the same facility is a win-win for the taxpayers,” Randy Johnson, CEO of MCHD, said. “We’ll be able to shorten our response times, beef up our coverage in this area of Montgomery County, and reduce duplication of facility and equipment costs.”
Brian Edwards, Fire Chief of Montgomery County ESD #2, believes there are other benefits that can also heighten the level of care residents receive in our county.
“For all three agencies to be housed in the same facility breeds a natural comradery and a family-type atmosphere,” he said. “The better you know someone you’re working with in a stressful emergency situation, the better the outcome is going to be for that person in need of our care.”
No one is more pleased about this project than Sandy Wagner, MCHD Board Member and resident of Bentwater.
“The plan to bring a hub of first responders, EMS, fire and law enforcement, so close to Bentwater is a blessing for all the families in my community and in surrounding areas. In my time as a Board Member for MCHD, I’ve seen that our paramedics are some of the best in the country, so to have them right outside our community is a win for every single one of us.”
Construction on the new station is expected to be complete in fall of 2021.
Montgomery County Hospital District’s mission is to care for the indigent and provide EMS services while protecting the interest of taxpayers and ensuring long-term stability through fund development. For more information about MCHD, please go to www.mchd-tx.org.