The ceremony celebrating Sierra Vista’s new EMS substation featured remarks from top officials from the City and U.S. Army Fort Huachuca, but it was the special guest who stole the show.
Dorothy Tompkins was invited to the ribbon cutting and open house of Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services Station 4 because the park just across the street is named after her late husband Hubert Tompkins, who did much to support youth in our community. Dorothy herself is a past president and founding member of the Greater Huachuca Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. At the ceremony this morning, Dorothy recalled how Fry Boulevard had just one stop sign when she arrived here in 1967.
“I had been to a lot of places, Fry was not a Boulevard,” she said. But what growth she has seen over the years since.
Today, when Dorothy sees cars lined up at a stop light on Fry Boulevard, she thinks “What a blessing, that’s growth!” She has loved to see the City progress over the years and knows how important the new EMS station is to our growing community.
Dorothy recalled how she took a fall in her home once and how quickly the EMS crew came to her aid. She ended up being okay despite a bump to her head, but she knows it could’ve easily turned out differently. She understands each new day is a privilege, far from guaranteed.
“You can just not be against a facility like this. And the closer you are to it, the better it is, because it may save your life,” she said.
SVF&MS Chief Brian Jones has Sierra Vista roots that go as deep as Dorothy’s and he recalled being a kid riding his bike in the area where the EMS substation now stands. Back then, Buffalo Soldier Trail was not even planned yet.
“Who would have thought our City would prosper in the way it has and ultimately led us to where we are today, opening this awesome station,” Jones said.
The station began operations on Aug. 1 and has already run about 400 calls. It reduces response times on the southern end of town, while also aiding EMS response Citywide. Its completion meets a strategic plan goal set by the City Council.
The substation was funded in part by a grant of more than $1.4 million from the Defense Community Infrastructure Program of the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. The location offers rapid access to Fort Huachuca, enabling the EMS crew at the station to respond if the one located on post is already on a call. It will also improve EMS response to the many soldiers and families living off post.
Army Col. Jarrod Moreland, chief of staff at Fort Huachuca, and Sierra Vista Mayor Rick Mueller also offered remarks highlighting the new station’s importance to the post and our community. Then all the attendees were able to tour the state-of-the-art facility inside and out.
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