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The Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance Corps has received the Village Board’s blessing to move forward in its efforts to either expand its headquarters on Meeting House Lane or find a new site on which to build.
After hearing at their meeting Thursday night how the village ambulance company’s facility compares to others in neighboring municipalities and hamlets, Southampton Village officials decided to commit to hiring a consultant to assess the deficiencies at the current garage and either find another location or propose a renovation.
“We’re beginning the process,” Mayor Mark Epley said at Thursday’s meeting.
The mayor said he does not know who the village will hire for the project, or how much it will cost. He did, however, suggest a portion of village property between the Village Police Department and Lola Prentice Park on Windmill Lane that might one day house a new ambulance headquarters.
“It’s central to the village, and it’s accessible,” Mr. Epley said. “That’s the only one that jumps off the page at me.”
The 41-member ambulance corps presented the Village Board with a study they completed that compares their facility to others on the South Fork with a similar membership. The study, presented by corps member Ron Hill, who is also a member of the company’s building committee, stated that the storage space, office space, meeting room space and kitchen at the Southampton headquarters is much smaller than those at others. For example, the meeting room at the Southampton headquarters is 280 square feet, whereas the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance has a total of 900 square feet.
“Their presentation was very accurate, and it’s even more dramatic in real life,” said Village Trustee Paul Robinson, who is the liaison to the ambulance corps. “We need to do something—the community does not look like what it used to look like.”
Mr. Robinson noted that, for example, Southampton Hospital has undergone many changes since the ambulance facility was built in 1976. Former Village Police Chief Lars King, who is also a member of the ambulance corps, noted that the department makes about 600 calls per year.
And Mr. Epley noted that the Hamptons Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, located on County Road 39, has 280 beds and has added to the ambulance’s workload.
“We recognize that they need something,” Mr. Epley said. “There’s the demands on the village ambulance that have grown exponentially, especially since the nursing home was built four years ago.”
Joe Hurley, a member of the ambulance corps who is also on the group’s building committee, said that he hopes that the ambulance can be in a new headquarters within four years. He emphasized that it takes a long time for progress on building projects.
Mr. Hurley said that the lack of meeting space makes it difficult for the group to comply with New York State and Suffolk County regulations for paramedics. He explained that the corps has tried to find space at the Levitas Center for the Arts at the Southampton Cultural Center, but found the center has limited availability.
The ambulance corps, like the fire department, which is slated to get a new $5.9 million building within the next year, is also having trouble fitting its vehicles into its garage.
“There’s not enough bay space,” Mr. Hill said.
At the garage on Monday afternoon, Mr. Hurley showed that once the doors of the ambulance are open, there is not enough space in the building to walk around them. He added that many ambulance corps members often bump their heads on the side-view mirrors of the ambulance, and can knock their knees into the vehicle’s bumpers because of the limited space in the building.
At Thursday night’s Village Board meeting, Trustee Nancy McGann asked about the feasibility of expanding the current facility, and whether or not doing so would be cheaper than finding another location.
On Monday, Mr. King explained that the property the facility is located on is limited. The west side of the building is nearly at the property line, Mr. King explained, and there is only 10 feet of empty space on the eastern side of the structure.
Mr. Hurley said that extensive renovations would need to be completed on the second floor of the building, including the construction of dormers, as space is limited and there is limited electricity and no plumbing.
Mr. King emphasized that the next structure should have the future of the village—and potential growth in the ambulance corps—in mind, as well.
“We’re more than willing to listen to anything the village has to say,” Mr. Hurley said.
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thank you.
Of course anyone can see that a larger building is needed for the ambulance. Ideas have been floated for a new hospital; It is so needed. can't y'all think of a way to accomlish both real soon?
And please leave Lola Prentice Park ALONE. the village needs open space too.
Total comments by summertime: 28
Thank you very much for catching that mistake. It's fixed now.
Jessica DiNapoli
Total comments by Jessica Lynn DiNapoli: 2
Total comments by fdny7318: 32
Yes the ambulance does need a new barn and no, the new firehouse is not more important. They money for the new firehouse is already approved of. Yes the fire department needs a new firehouse, but the ambulance also needs a new headquarters. Think before you say things.
Total comments by SH Local: 8
Total comments by ocean27: 8
Step Two: Put on a dog and pony show in front of the Village Board and claim the Firehouse is dangerous and outdated and won't accommodate new big Fire Trucks. Inject OSHA standards that don't apply to the Village.
Step Three: Pay a public relations firm $17,000.00 to pump up support for a new 8 Million Dollar Building.
Step Four: Have a permissive referendum in October when no one is around ... more and exclude absentee voting.
Step Five: Referendum passes 60% to 40 %
Next: Do this all over aging for the ambulance corp.
Step One: Buy another ambulance that is too big for the facility and claim it's antiquated. Don't tell the public the Police Department will mark up the old ambulance with Police Decals. Hide it in plain site.
Step Two: Follow the game plan used by the Village Board for the fire station.
Total comments by RonDo: 18
Total comments by Bayman1: 128
Its a good thing you didn't become trustee, it is apparent how supportive you are of the volunteer agencies.
Total comments by courtesy: 31
The reality is that the entire ambulance fleet and personnel would fit nicely in the new Firehouse. The Village Board should include some extra garage space in the new firehouse to be constructed on Hampton Road. The SVVA should learn to get along ... more with the volunteer firemen and share some space with them in the new proposed facility. Serious consideration should be given to combining the to volunteer organizations and put the Village taxpayer first.
After the SVVA vacates the ambulance garage on Meetinghouse Lane the Village Board can move forward to build the slated 3.4 million dollar African American Museum & Learning Center. Instead of spending 3.4 million dollars on a new facility at the corner of North Sea Road and Hillcrest Avenue the Village could spend a modest sum renovating the Ambulance Building on Meeting House Lane. This way the new Museum and learning center would be in walking distance of Southampton Histor
Total comments by RonDo: 18
Total comments by RonDo: 18
Total comments by fdny7318: 32
Total comments by RonDo: 18
Total comments by K Aventi: 6
My 20 years as a first responder with two documented CPR Live Saving calls and participating in the Search and Rescue Mission in New York City during the 9/11 attacks on our country qualifies me to comment on this subject matter. I am a Village Resident and have friends in the Ambulance and Fire Departments.
There is nothing disparaging in my comment. Not every solution requires 8 Million Dollars. Maybe my idea makes too much sense.
Total comments by RonDo: 18
Total comments by K Aventi: 6
It would seem that the Federal Judge that ruled in my favor did not see anything frivolous. Maybe you should consider reading the complaint and the decision in their entirety BEFORE making any blanket assessments.
Finally, I wore a bullet proof vest to work for 19 years and earned every penny the Village paid me. I was the only Police Officer to buy a house in the Village with his own money and continue to pay Village Taxes. You may not like ... more me but listen to the message. I will save the Village 8 million dollars.
Total comments by RonDo: 18
Also, fdny7318, think before commenting on articles.
Total comments by courtesy: 31
Total comments by Fireman1405: 1
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