Cranberry Approves New Building, Lease for EMS Company

It’s official, Cranberry Emergency Medical Services is getting a new home.

At Thursday’s board of supervisors meeting, Cranberry officials approved plans for a 8,103 square foot ambulance building to be located next to the Cranberry Township Volunteer Company’s Park Station on Route 19.

Officials also approved a sales and lease agreement agreeing to construct the new headquarters.

The two-story building, which includes six ambulance bays, is expected to cost about $1.6 million. The building also will have sleeping quarters, recreation space and a small meeting room for workers.

"This is just a great arrangement," said Don Scelza, president of the Cranberry EMS board. "Our relationship with the township has just gotten better and stronger as we go forward and this is just another example of that."

In a presentation to supervisors, Scelza said Cranberry EMS took 3,464 calls in 2012, its highest number yet. The calls are expected to increase by 10 percent in 2013, he said.

Cranberry will pay for the new building with help from a $10 million low-interest loan officials took out last September for capital improvement projects.

Half of that amount was earmarked for sewer and water line upgrades. The other $5 million went towards

The remaining money is slated towards construction of the new Cranberry EMS headquarters.

The ambulance company currently leases space on Thomson Park Drive from the UPMC Passavant Foundation. Jeff Schueler, Cranberry’s director of public safety, said the EMS service is outgrowing the building, which he also described as falling into disrepair.

Under the terms of the two-part lease and service agreement, the ambulance company would report to Cranberry while remaining a separate entity from the township.

In exchange for the leasing the building, Cranberry EMS also is expected to provide high-quality, 24/7 service to the community. All EMS vehicles must be in good working order and the ambulance company must provide a turnout time on emergency calls of no more than 90 seconds, 90 percent of the time, Schueler said.

Construction on the ambulance building could be completed by late 2013, he said.

For more details on the service and lease agreement, click here.

Thoughts on construction plans for the new ambulance building? Tell us in the comment section below.

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