LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Okolona Fire District is getting a new EMS service starting Tuesday.
On Monday, the department held two dedication ceremonies by pushing the ambulances into their firehouses at Station 1 on Preston Highway and Station 3 on Rangeland Road. Pushing new vehicles into the firehouse is a tradition when they're placed into service.
"We realize we're in the midst of a national emergency, and we couldn't be more proud to put a life-saving service on the road," Chief Marlin Howard said.
The ceremonies were kept short and simple due to the ongoing pandemic, with no large crowds or speeches. But those with Okolona Fire District said they're proud and excited to finally have the ambulances here.
There are three ambulances in total: Two will become operational Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., and the third will be used as a backup.
"We will be providing service for the Okolona Fire Protection area and Jefferson County as a whole," Howard said.
Until this point, Okolona relied on other districts in Jefferson County to provide an EMS service. Now, these trucks will start and end their day in Okolona, hoping to cut down on patient response time. It's a project that started 18 months ago and has had to work through unexpected hurdles due to the coronavirus outbreak.
"We've worked through multiple obstacles, including getting the trucks physically out of Ohio," EMS Chief Tom Puckett said. "Our license through the Kentucky Board of EMS was actually done via video, which is the first time it's ever been done in the state that way."
Puckett said 17 new, full-time employees were added to help run this Okolona EMS service.
The ambulances are fully stocked and EMTs and paramedics are fully trained, ready to make any runs necessary. It's a service Puckett said was long over-due for Okolona.
"We hope to be the best," he said. "That's the goal."
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