New Emergency Medical Services facility dedicated in Ada

This article appeared in the October 2017 edition of the Chickasaw Times

ADA, Okla. – Governor Bill Anoatubby, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole and a large contingent of tribal dignitaries officially dedicated a new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) building near the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center on Sept. 21.

“This new EMS building represents opportunities,” Gov. Anoatubby said. “It gives us an opportunity to continue advancing our health care services, an opportunity to provide our medics with the most ideal working conditions so they, in turn, have the greatest opportunity to provide quality care to our patients in transit.

“It is also an opportunity to reach an increasing number of Chickasaws and other Native Americans who live outside our traditional service, area.”

The new facility was constructed to address the Chickasaw Nation’s growing number of EMS trips since the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center opened in Ada in 2010.

As an example, Gov. Anoatubby said in 2016 more than 1,100 trips were made to and from the medical center. Those trips averaged 180 miles and included runs to Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Sherman and Denton, Texas, along with many other communities.

The new 10,000 square-foot building provides a home-away-from-home for the EMS team, comprised of 12 full-time emergency health professionals and eight contract medics.

The building also doubles as a medical warehouse. The space allows for a full staff of medics on call 24 hours a day year-round in a more comfortable working and living environment. Its heated garage increases efficiency by reducing ambulance warmup times in winter months.

The location also has state-of-the-art technology important to modern EMS teams, including radio, monitoring, tracking and other support services. The increased area will also allow staff to train in-house, reducing time away from the facility.

Rep. Cole, a Chickasaw, praised Governor Anoatubby and tribal leaders for their leadership and vision.

“I look around and see what has been accomplished for our people,” Rep. Cole said. “It is a pretty remarkable achievement. It obviously not only helps our people, but Native Americans in general who have an opportunity to use this facility. It so represents what Governor Anoatubby’s leadership is all about and that is to improve the lives of people.

“This represents our deepest values and who we are as a people. Thank you for bringing those values out,” Rep. Cole said, adding “and for each and every life that is going to be saved.”