Dare County has released a video featuring the ribbon cutting ceremony and open house event that was held at 3 p.m. on Monday, July 14, 2025 to celebrate the recent completion and official opening of the new Dare County EMS Station 8 in Manns Harbor. 

The new station—which is located adjacent to the Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and Manns Harbor Community Center at 6677 Highway 64/264—is the fourth Dare County EMS station to be renovated or reconstructed entirely as part of the county’s multiphase project to modernized decades-old EMS facilities in order to better serve the community’s residents and visitors. 

View the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on YouTube

The ribbon cutting ceremony commenced with a welcome and introduction from Dare County EMS Director Chief Jennie Collins, who shared her excitement for the opening of the new facility. 

Image of Chief Collins speaking to the crowd during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“We’re honored and thrilled to have all of you here to share with us this momentous milestone that we are taking upon today,” said Collins. “It is a testament of our unwavering commitment to our community, the support of our local government here and our county commissioners—and our readiness to always respond to any situation that may arise.” 

As she continued her remarks, Collins provided the event’s attendees with a brief overview of the 29-year-old station, which is primarily responsible for serving the entire Dare County mainland, including the villages of Manns Harbor, Mashoes, Stumpy Point and East Lake.

“It’s not the busiest station in the [Dare County EMS] system, but it has the largest geographic area that it does cover—and the location of it is absolutely strategic and imperative that we have a station on this side of the bridge,” said Collins.

In recent years, it became clear that the small, pre-engineered metal building that was originally constructed in 1996 and had served as Dare County EMS Station 8 in Manns Harbor for nearly three decades was no longer able to sufficiently meet the needs of the growing mainland communities—or the Dare County EMS personnel who operate from the facility.  

“It was beyond its life expectancy, and its age was unfortunately showing quite a bit. It served us for nearly three decades, but its functionality had become obsolete,” said Collins, noting that the previous facility—which was essentially just one open living area comprising the kitchen, dining room, office, training area and meeting space—allowed virtually no privacy for on-duty crew members. 

“There were two adjacent bunkroom areas and bathrooms; there was zero privacy for the crews that were there,” Collins continued. “The ambulances—even with trying to purchase shorter chassis ambulances—would barely fit in the building, and if you looked at the walls, you could see where the bumpers had lightly contacted them through the years. So, as you walk through the building today, you’ll see why those improvements were necessary.”

As Collins concluded her remarks, she shared her appreciation for those who made bringing the project to fruition possible: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support and collaboration from our county commissioners, the county manager and staff, Oakley Collier Architects, Barnhill Contracting Company and their many subcontractors that have worked with them because, collectively, it takes a large team to make these projects a reality.” 

Team members from Oakley Collier Architects and Barnhill Contracting Company receive a round of applause from the crowd during the ceremony.

Chief Collins then turned the podium over to Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard, who spoke about the county’s ongoing commitment to improving outdated EMS facilities for the first responders who work and train within them, as well as the thousands of residents and visitors they serve throughout the year.

“Thank you all for being here as we celebrate EMS Station 8 in Manns Harbor,” said Woodard. “This particular station is the fourth of our EMS stations across Dare County that are being renovated—or even being rebuilt—as part of the county’s multiphase initiative to replace aging, outdated EMS facilities. This ongoing effort is designed to ensure that we’re meeting the needs of our citizens and the many visitors who come to the community each year.”

Image of Chairman Woodard speaking to the crowd during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

As Woodard continued his comments, he thanked his fellow Dare County commissioners and other key county staff members who helped make the project possible—and he also expressed his sincere appreciation for the partnerships Dare County has formed with Barnhill Contracting Company and Oakley Collier Architects, praising their commitment to continuing to produce such exceptional results when it comes to Dare County projects. 

“We’re so grateful for the strong partnerships that we’ve built over the years with both of these firms, and their commitment and collaboration has certainly been key to the success of what we’ve been able to build in Dare County,” said Woodard, who went on to note that, as the number of residents and visitors has increased in Dare County over the past few years, so too has the need for more modern facilities that allow EMS personnel to respond to calls more efficiently and effectively. 

“As Dare County continues to grow—with more people choosing to call this place home and with increasing numbers of visitors—our demand for emergency medical services has risen significantly,” said Woodard. “With that growing demand certainly comes greater responsibility to ensure that our EMS personnel have the tools, resources and facilities they need to respond quickly, effectively and safely. That’s why modernizing our EMS stations isn’t a goal—it’s certainly a priority from this board.”     

Woodard continued, “The [Dare County Board of Commissioners] deeply values the essential role our EMS professionals play in protecting our residents and visitors. Projects like the newly rebuilt Station 8 reflect our strong, ongoing commitment to investing in the infrastructure that supports their work and serves our community. These upgrades don’t just benefit EMS staff—they directly support the people of Dare County and our visitors who count on emergency responders during their most critical moments of time.”

As he concluded his remarks, Woodard also highlighted the fact that the recently completed project extended beyond the construction of the new Dare County EMS Station 8 facility, with significant improvements also being made simultaneously to the adjacent Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and Manns Harbor Community Center.

From left to right: Barnhill Contracting Company Eastern Vice President John Smith, Dare County Assistant County Manager and Special Projects and Purchasing Manager Dustin Peele, Dare County Finance Director Matt Motyka, Oakley Collier Architects Senior Construction Administrator Franki Joyner, Dare County Commissioner Rob Ross, Dare County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Steve House, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard, former Dare County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Wally Overman, former Dare County Commissioner Bea Basnight, Dare County Commissioner Carson Creef, Dare County Commissioner Ervin Bateman, Dare County Commissioner Mike Burrus, Dare County Manager and Attorney Bobby Outten, Dare County EMS Director Chief Jennie Collins.

Renovations to the Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department included extending the bay lengths to better accommodate trucks and equipment, installing ceiling-mounted equipment charging cords to replace floor-run extension cords, installing roll-up doors and new ceiling grid and tiles, pressure washing and painting the exterior of the facility to match the new EMS station next door, and putting in a new stop/go light to assist drivers when responding to calls.

Renovations and enhancements made to the neighboring Manns Harbor Community Center during the project included the installation of new kitchen cabinets and countertops, remodeling the restrooms, putting in several new appliances, installing new blinds throughout the building, adding new landscaping, pressure washing the facility and installing new lettering on the front—and painting the exterior to bring all three facilities on the site together with a unified look.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Chairman Woodard invited his fellow Dare County commissioners and several Dare County staff members, as well as representatives from Barnhill Contracting Company and Oakley Collier Architects to participate in the ceremonial ribbon cutting for the new Dare County EMS Station 8 in Manns Harbor. 

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, an open house was held until 6:30 p.m., providing members of the community with the opportunity to tour the new Dare County EMS facility. During this time, the neighboring Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and Manns Harbor Community Building were also open for tours of each facility.   

In addition to tours, the open house portion of the event featured Dare County EMS ambulance displays, “Stop the Bleed” training, “Hands Only” CPR training, free blood pressure checks, and various educational handouts and children’s activities provided by Dare County EMS personnel.

For those who were unable to attend the event in person a video of the Dare County EMS Station 8 in Manns Harbor ribbon cutting ceremony is now available on Dare County’s YouTube channel. To view the video, please visit YouTube.com/DareCounty.

Dare County EMS Station 9 in Kitty Hawk Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Open House Reminder:

Dare County will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house event for the new Dare County EMS Station 9 in Kitty Hawk that was also recently completed beginning at 3 p.m. on Monday, August 4, 2025, with the open house continuing until 6:30 p.m. Members of the community are encouraged to attend.

For more detailed information about Dare County’s ongoing efforts to modernize outdated EMS facilities throughout the county, please visit DareNC.gov/EMSProjects.