Catawba County News
Catawba County Celebrates Opening of New Hickory EMS Base
Published: June 23, 2026
Catawba County officially opened its newest Emergency Medical Services base on Tuesday, June 23, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the facility located at 827 E Avenue SE in Hickory.
County commissioners, County leadership, Emergency Services personnel, project partners and community members gathered to celebrate the completion of the new station, which was designed to strengthen emergency response capabilities and better serve residents throughout the Hickory area.
Strategically located near major roadways, the standalone EMS base replaces an outdated facility and provides emergency crews with quicker access to the community they serve. The new station was designed to improve operational efficiency while providing a modern workspace for EMS personnel.
The 6,500 square foot facility includes four drive-through ambulance bays, training space, offices, and crew readiness space. The approximately $3.4 million project is part of Catawba County's continued investment in modernizing public safety infrastructure.
"Every day, our residents depend on EMS professionals to respond quickly when they need help most,” said Randy Isenhower, Catawba County Board Chair. “This new base reflects Catawba County's commitment to providing our first responders with the facilities they need to serve the community safely and efficiently. Investments like this strengthen our emergency response system today while preparing us to meet the needs of our growing county for years to come."
“Every minute matters in emergency medical services. This new EMS base strengthens our ability to serve residents in the Hickory area while providing our personnel with a facility designed to support the demanding work they perform every day," said Brook Redding, Emergency Services Director. "This project is part of our continued effort to invest in our people, improve operational readiness, and ensure Catawba County remains prepared to meet the growing needs of our community."
The project is the third and finalstandalone EMS base completed as part of the County's long-term plan to replace aging facilities with stations designed to meet the needs of today's emergency responders.
Project partners included Winstead Architecture, PLLC, and Wilkie Construction Company SE, LLC, whose work helped bring the new facility from design to completion.
Photo Caption:
Pictured, from left front row, are Jason Powell, REACH Crew Chief; Shannon Eckard, Advanced EMT; Paige Walker, Paramedic; Commissioner Barbara Beatty; Commissioner Vice-Chair Austin Allran; Mary Furtado, County Manager; William Butler, EMS Manager; Dr. Charles McKaraher, EMS Medical Director; Marty Hurley, Retired Paramedic
Pictured, from left back row, are Jesse Edwards, REACH Paramedic; Jason Cantrell, EMS Crew Chief’ Christian Huffman, EMS Crew Chief; Brittany Presnell, EMS Business Manager; James Moser, EMT; Andrew Wright, EMS Operations Supervisor; Scott Butts, EMS Shift Supervisor; Harlie Wilson, EMS Specialty Svcs Coordinator; John Cameron, Facilities Services Director; Bryan Morales, Construction Project Mgr; Tina Wright, Purchasing Manager; Jack Smith - Wilkie Construction; Brent Stine, EMS Chaplain; Stan Winstead - Winstead Architecture; Gary Reitzel, Retired Advanced EMT; Melanie Sigmon, Community Engagement Coordinator