New Honesdale EMS Facility | News

Honesdale EMS has a new home and emergency workers showed it off Tuesday night at a special open house and fundraising kickoff.

The new facility is along the Lake Ariel Highway (Route191).

"It's big, it's big compared to the building we used to have. This new building is large," said Honesdale Emergency Technician Pat Hazen.

It was June of 2010 when tremors from an earthquake damaged the old Honesdale EMS building. Officials said it just was not safe to use anymore.

"That brought us initially to a homeless situation, an active ambulance group providing EMS services throughout Wayne and parts of Pike County and no place to call home," said Stan Pratt of Honesdale EMS.

The EMS group managed to find a temporary place to use before finding a permanent home.

At a special open house Tuesday night, folks showed up to take a peek at the new facility and to kick off to a fundraising campaign.

They are hoping to raise about $1 million to cover the cost of the new building.

"We do make a difference in the community and, you know, we're in the business for people," said Hazen.

For those helped by Honesdale emergency crews, the new place is well deserved.

Bruce and Carol Lambert said this summer the crew saved Bruce's life after he suffered a heart attack.

"The ambulance is warm so everything can start, the medicines are at the right temperature and it's a great facility," said Carol Lambert of Honesdale.

"You need to support the EMS and that they're there, they will come, they will take care of you and save your life and there's nothing more important in your life than that," agreed  Bruce Lambert.