With renovations well underway at Austin-Travis County EMS Station One, ATCEMS this week held a ceremony to install a time capsule within the walls of the historic station.
Opened in 1982, ATCEMS Station One was the first free-standing municipal EMS station in the country and has been undergoing much-needed renovations to update the space and expand its capacity, with the eventual goal of housing two ambulances and a district commander. Renovations began early last year and were funded by a bond passed by Austin voters in 2018. The bond also included renovations to four other aging EMS and fire stations.
“The artifacts we’ve placed in the time capsule will offer the ATCEMS Medics of the future an insight into our daily lives, challenges, and triumphs, and provide a small glimpse into our story, so it can continue to be told long after we’re gone,” said ATCEMS Chief Robert Luckritz. “We envision a bright future for ATCEMS! One that continues to grow, innovate, and improve the lives of both the community and the dedicated EMS Clinicians that care for them.”
The time capsule contains many different items, from challenge coins, annual reports, letters from personnel, and patches from over the years, to old photos and recruiting ads, even an old pager from the 90s. A commemorative plaque will be placed on the wall where the time capsule was installed and will be opened by the ATCEMS Medics of the future on the department’s 75th anniversary, in 2051.
Once complete, Station One will feature three apparatus bays, bedroom space for nine personnel, a large personal protective equipment (PPE) room, additional storage for ATCEMS Special Operations, and is anticipated to be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified Silver facility.
“We thought this was a great way to commemorate the history of our department and make sure that the stories of Austin-Travis County EMS don’t get lost to time,” Chief Luckritz said.
The renovations of Station One are projected to be completed in late 2024.
