WASHINGTON CO. MOVING FORWARD WITH LAKE SOMERVILLE EMS STATION

  

Washington County Commissioners took a major step today (Tuesday) toward building a new EMS response station at Lake Somerville.

The court unanimously agreed to select CargoHome as a sole source vendor for the county’s sixth EMS station, which will go on land being leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will be custom-built from prefabricated container units.

EMS Director Kevin Deramus said after years of waiting and multiple hoops to jump through, getting to this moment is “monumental.”  He said the department’s emphasis in its long-term strategic plan has been building up its core infrastructure in order to get out ahead of a rising population and avoid the same mistakes that other rapidly-growing counties have made.

The proposal from CargoHome describes the station as being built with “insulated, weather-resistant container structures that minimize maintenance while maximizing energy efficiency.”  The 800-square-foot facility will include two bedrooms, a kitchen, living area, bathroom facilities, a self-contained private suite and elevated rooftop decking. 

Deramus said to start out, it will be a seasonal response station staffed with a single paramedic response unit.  A boat team will be available during high-volume seasons like the Fourth of July and the weekends of Labor Day and Memorial Day.  Additionally, he said a boat slip has been furnished by the marina, so that EMS does not need to drive out the boat for calls at the lake.  Once the station is staffed 24/7, it will expand beyond just the crew quarters to add space for an ambulance. 

According to Deramus, EMS’ response time to the lake from its closest station in Brenham is about 13 minutes.  Commissioner Kirk Hanath said the county’s aim with this project, along with EMS’ other stations in the county, has been to improve coverage and patient outcomes.

The estimated total cost is $496,706, which covers two 40-foot containers and one 20-foot container, the upper decking package with the 640-square-foot elevated deck, architecture and engineering costs, site preparation, delivery and setting, and assembly.  Deramus said it will come from roughly $500,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) funding saved over time for this purpose.  He noted that cost figures received during the county’s attempts at going out for bid started out at $2.1 million.

As for when the station will be complete, Deramus said the plans still have to be given the okay by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but he has “high hopes” that it will be ready by Memorial Day weekend. 

Also at today’s meeting, the court accepted a $10,000 donation from Texans United for Freedom (TUFF).  TUFF President Phyllis Stegen said the organization raises funds for veterans and first responders, giving away nearly $400,000 over the past 10 years.  Stegen said Washington County EMS saved her husband’s life after a hornet attack, and she is relocating the organization’s operations from Montgomery County to Washington County. 

In other business, commissioners:

• Received a progress report from PlanNorth on projects in the Expo master plan, which includes a new covered rodeo arena, drainage and utility updates, and repairs and maintenance.
• Approved revisions to the county’s purchasing policy, bringing it into compliance with recent legislative changes effective September 1^st and providing additional clarity regarding purchasing methods and cooperative purchasing options.
• Approved the 2026 Sheriff’s and Constable’s fees.
• Received monthly reports from the district clerk, auditor, justices of the peace, tax assessor-collector, treasurer, constables, elections and veterans service office.