The Northland Regional Ambulance District has a proposal on the Tuesday, April 8 ballot, to expand district capacity and to build a new headquarters in the center of the district.
The ballot measure reads: “Shall the Northland Regional Ambulance District borrow money in the amount of $15,100,000 for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, furnishing, equipping and operating new and existing facilities of the District, including without limitation: (1) constructing, furnishing and equipping, a new headquarters station and education center; (2) constructing, furnishing and equipping a new satellite station in Smithville; and (3) renovating and improving an existing station in Platte City; and issue bonds for the payment thereof?”
The Northland Regional Ambulance District was established in 1994, under Missouri Law and with the support of both the Platte and Clay County commissioners. The district was established to ensure EMS/ambulance coverage for the Northland during a time of limited access outside of Kansas City.
The district has grown from a single ambulance service, to providing four ambulances daily with over 30 employees. The district has also become active in outreach education.
Two town hall meetings about the ballot proposition were held in Platte City and Camden Point. A third is scheduled for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, March 31 at the Smithville Senior Center.
The district has grown, in both Platte and Clay counties, and with this growth, NRAD Executive Director Jason James said the district has outgrown its Platte City headquarters, which was built in 2000.
“NRAD needs to continually plan and be proactive in providing the best coverage and responses to emergencies possible.,” James said. “With this growth, NRAD continues to provide more services, through outreach such as CPR, First Aid, and Stop-the-Bleed education as well as hold its own in-house training improving on each employee’s knowledge and skills in order to keep up with the patient care standards.”
With this in mind, James said, NRAD is asking voters for general obligation bonds in the amount not to exceed $15.1 million for the purpose of providing funds to acquire, construct, renovate, improve, furnish and equip new and existing facilities of the district, including without limitation, to acquire land for, and construct, furnish and equip, a new headquarters station and education center, acquire land for, and construct, furnish and equip a new satellite station, and renovate and improve the existing Platte City station.
The first project funded through these bonds would be construction of a new district headquarters near the center of the district, located on land NRAD already owns at the intersection of Highways 92 and B at Hoover.
“This new headquarters would allow for the continued growth of the district’s administrative staff with improved and secured storage for patient records and other necessary records, supplies and equipment,” James said. “This headquarters would also increase the education and training space available which will increase the availability of outreach classes as well as internal training courses held within our district into its next 30 years of service.”
A satellite station would be established in the northern end of Smithville to help accommodate the increased growth in multi-home subdivisions and city growth.
“This station would be a used to house an ambulance full-time to help NRAD ensure call response times and reduce delays to farther reaching areas of Smithville and Clay County,” James said.
Additionally, the Platte City station would be renovated and improved, allowing for the addition of a second full-time ambulance.