Dare County, in partnership with the Town of Kill Devil Hills, will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the recent completion of the new 36,000-square-foot building that will serve as Dare County EMS Station 1 and Kill Devil Hills Fire Department Station 14 beginning at 3 p.m. on Monday, August 5, 2024. 

The event will feature several key speakers, including Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard, Town of Kill Devil Hills Mayor John Windley, Dare County EMS Director Chief Jennie Collins and Kill Devil Hills Fire Department Chief Troy Tilley, as well as Kill Devil Hills Assistant Town Manager Charlene Allen, Kill Devil Hills Fire Chaplain Steve Siegrist and Dare County EMS Chaplain Cherri Wheeler. 

In addition, remarks will be made by a special guest, Susan Gard Nelson, daughter of Kill Devil Hills Fire Department Chief William “Bill” Gard, who served as fire chief from 1973 until his retirement in 1994—and for whom the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department side of the building will be dedicated.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, an open house will be held until 7 p.m., providing members of the community with the opportunity to take self-guided tours of the new facility, which is located at 1628 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills (Dare County EMS Station 1) and 1630 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills (Kill Devil Hills Fire Department Station 14).  

In addition to self-guided tours, the open house will also feature ambulance and fire apparatus displays, "Stop the Bleed" training, "Hands Only" CPR training, free blood pressure checks, and various handouts and children's activities provided by Dare County EMS and Kill Devil Hills Fire Department staff members. Light refreshments will also be served.  

Located in the heart of Kill Devil Hills, Dare County EMS Station 1 is responsible for providing service to one of the busiest and most populated areas of the Outer Banks—and due to this high demand and need for a rapid response to emergency calls, the replacement of this particular facility has been a top priority for Dare County. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site of the new facility on May 10, 2023, and construction will be completed this month.  

The new facility in Kill Devil Hills is the third and final station included in Phase 1 of Dare County’s multiphase project through which outdated EMS facilities will be modernized in order to better serve the residents and visitors of our community. For more detailed information about past projects—as well as projects that are currently underway as part of Phase 2 or scheduled to take place in future phases—please click here.