Patrick County’s paid Emergency Medical Services (EMS) service, Station 8, has started its move from its current facility to the former school board office beside the Patrick County Administration Building.
The move was decided on May 5. It is anticipated to be completed by June 6.
Doug Perry, of the Smith River District, said the squad’s current location on East Blue Ridge Street is unacceptable.
“They can’t be in there. So, to get them out of that building, we moved them into the old school board building,” Perry said, adding that County Administrator Beth Simms made the decision to move Station 8 to the new facility.
She said, “‘Look, here’s what has to happen, here’s what we’re going to do.’ I received an email, and I’m like, ‘I’m fine with it.’ Being a facilities thing, being that the county owns the building, being that there’s no money—there’s no need for the board to make that decision and vote on it,” Perry said.
With the move, EMS Coordinator Scottie Cassell said he “was just told, and I follow orders.” He deferred to Simms for additional comments.
Perry said he doesn’t anticipate the move to be “a permanent, permanent thing. It’s not the best place for them, but for right now, to get them out of that old, dilapidated, condemned building, it’s the best route to take right now.”
Perry explained the Department of Social Services (DSS) is going to need more space, along with other departments — and that will require moving and rearranging offices. He said those projects are still in the works and added that the county’s facilities director is working to coordinate the best use of its properties.
“There’s a plan, and like I said, for the right here and right now, to get Station 8 out of a really bad facility that they should have been moved out of quite some time ago—that’s, of course, just the action we’re taking,” he said.
Past boards, Perry said, have discussed moving Station 8 to a new facility.
“Something had to be done to get them out of the building as quick as possible. Like I said, there are other plans and things in the works, moving toward getting a very adequate facility,” he said.
Perry doesn’t know how long Station 8 will remain in the new facility.
“It’s going to be a budget thing. That’s where the board has failed over the past several years. So, when we talk about, ‘Oh yeah, we definitely need to put Station 8 into a real building and get them in an adequate facility,’ it’s never been budgeted, and so if there’s nothing in the budget, nothing’s going to happen. This year, we’ll see what money we can set aside for moving forward with a Station 8 building. It’s all going to depend on what monies can be set aside and what we can get and move forward,” he said.
Perry added that the county has identified some properties as potential building sites, and other buildings have been considered for purchase, but “again, there’s no real, solid plan at this time,” he said.
While Station 8 is moving what it can, Cassell expects some items will have to be stored elsewhere, as the new facility has one less floor than the old one.
“I was just told to pack up and move, and I said, ‘Yes, ma’am,’ and she (Simms) said if anybody has any questions to send them to me and I’ll explain why,” Cassell said.
Station 8 was notified that Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) received a notice of health and safety hazards at its 108 East Blue Ridge location on April 9.
The specific hazards alleged include “many health risks, including but not limited to mildew and mold exposures. Outdated lead plumbing, poor water for drinking and cooking. No accessible shower, even as a functioning 911 service where exposures may require showers. Our coordinator has ordered an air quality test and been denied, knowing what results of the air quality test will show prompting them to be required to relocate” Station 8.
The letter states VOSH had not determined whether the alleged hazards exist at the site and does not plan to conduct an inspection at this time.
However, since the allegations were made, VOSH requested that Cassell immediately investigate the alleged conditions and make any necessary corrections. It also requested Cassell to notify VOSH of his findings no later than April 16.
Perry said he doesn’t know to what extent the claims in the VOSH letter are true.
“I know there’s always been foundation issues, and I know there’s been leaks. I’m not exactly sure what the measurements came back,” he said.
When asked for comment after the May 12 Board of Supervisors meeting, Simms did not respond.
