LINCOLN, Del. - Sussex County is moving forward with plans to build a new emergency medical services station in Lincoln, a project local residents and first responders say will help meet the growing demand for emergency care in the area.
Sussex County Council recently approved a $2.2 million contract with Whayland Company to construct Paramedic Station 101, a dedicated EMS facility that will replace the county's current station operating out of the Lincoln Community Center on East Washington Street.
County officials say the new station will include ambulance bays, crew quarters, office space, a kitchen, bunk rooms and other support areas designed specifically for emergency medical personnel.
For Lincoln resident Rob Masten, the investment is a welcome one.
"I see the community center, and you know, it's a nice building as it is, but it's not ideal," Masten said.
The new station will be built next to the Lincoln Fire Department that Sussex County acquired in 2022. Officials say the facility will be modeled after county EMS stations in Seaford and Millsboro, though the design has been modified to fit the Lincoln site.
Neighboring emergency responders say the project comes at a critical time as population growth continues to increase demand for emergency services throughout the region.
"This area is a centralized location for the EMS headquarters. It's going to provide a faster response for both Kent and Sussex County as we're starting to see calls increase," said Carlisle Fire Company Chief Brennon Fountain.
Fountain said emergency crews have seen a steady rise in call volume as more residents move into the area.
"We've seen the increase in calls based on relocation of a lot of different taxpayers here in the area," Fountain said.
He added that the station's location near Route 113 should help paramedics reach patients more quickly while also providing room for future expansion and training opportunities.
"It's going to give them the ability to access some of the areas a lot faster, closer to Route 113, which will provide a faster response," Fountain said.
For resident Tom Parker, the benefits of improved emergency access are personal. Parker recently required emergency medical care and believes additional EMS resources can make a significant difference during a crisis.
"I was just taken to the hospital not long ago, so it took about 8 to 12 minutes to get here. If they had this one here, hell, I could have walked there," Parker said.
Parker added that he supports the county's investment in emergency services.
"You can't never have too many emergency stations," he said.
County officials say the new facility is intended to improve emergency coverage in western Sussex County while providing paramedics with a dedicated operational space as demand for services continues to grow.
There is currently no timeline for when construction of the new station will be completed.
