Becky Ryan
Pottawatomie County PIO
Pottawatomie County Emergency Medical Services (PCEMS) held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for a new St. Marys PCEMS Station which will be located approximately 0.3 miles south of Highway 24 on Maple Hill Road on the eastern edge of St. Marys.
The new station will be named "The Pottawatomie County EMS Joel Fager Station" in honor of current PCEMS Director Joel Fager, who was instrumental in presenting the need for a new station to the County Commissioners, ultimately securing their approval to purchase land, plan, and construct the station.
Assistant EMS Director Andrew Couchman said, "Joel Fager has been a cornerstone in Kansas Emergency Medical Services and EMS education for many years. I have had the privilege of working with Joel on the street and, for the last two years, having him as my mentor. Joel cares about his coworkers and their well-being. He has shown me what a great leader can be."
The new station will feature two ambulance bays, office space, sleeping quarters for on-duty staff, a kitchenette, restrooms, laundry, and dedicated lockable and climate-controlled areas for equipment and supply storage. While the layout and dimensions are still being finalized, the design will be comparable to the other county-owned EMS stations.