Centre County commissioners approved a $300,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant Tuesday for a new ambulance and training center in Rush Township.
Moshannon Valley EMS primarily serves Centre and Clearfield counties. In the new facility, Moshannon Valley EMS chief Wes Cartwright said they will be able to train about 60 emergency medical services personnel each year.
“We all know EMS providers are hard to find and hard to get on board,” Cartwright said.
Cartwright said they’ve outgrown their current training facility and the new training headquarters should be constructed around this time next year.
In April 2022, Rep. Scott Conklin announced a $1 million state grant to support the training center’s construction. The 9,350 sq. ft. facility will have office space, a training room, staff fitness room, service documentation room, staff lounge and kitchenette, sleeping rooms for six staff, and garage space for up to eight ambulances.
The total cost for the project is more than $2,085,111. In addition to the Appalachian Regional Commission grant in state funds, there is local financing of $585,111.
The facility will be constructed at the former Philipsburg Area Hospital, which closed in 1991.
