Beaufort County Community College Awarded $164k Grant for Training Ambulance | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

Beaufort CCC’s new training ambulance, funded by a $164,426 grant from The Cannon Foundation, will expand hands-on EMS education across the region.

    WASHINGTON, N.C.    The Cannon Foundation has awarded Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort CCC) a grant of $164,426 to address critical challenges in its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program. The funding will allow the college to purchase a new ambulance, a much-needed resource to ensure the continued delivery of high-quality training for EMS providers and students.

    The college's current ambulance, a repurposed EastCare unit obtained through a grant in 2018, has accumulated nearly 400,000 miles and suffers from ongoing issues that confine its use to local training sessions, making it increasingly difficult to meet state-mandated EMS training requirements.

    Additionally, Beaufort CCC's secondary training ambulance is no longer operational, forcing the college to rely on borrowed vehicles from local agencies. However, the growing shortage of available EMS units has made this arrangement unsustainable, jeopardizing the quality and availability of EMS education.

    The new ambulance will be fully stocked and equipped with a simulator, enabling hands-on training for EMS providers and students. It will also serve as the designated vehicle for state-mandated EMT driver training and provide high-quality, real-world training experiences to counties in the college's service area.

    "This new ambulance will address a major gap in our training resources," said Billy Respass, director of EMS programs at Beaufort CCC. "We identified an ambulance already in production, so we significantly reduced delivery times compared to a custom build. Thanks to The Cannon Foundation, we can provide the high-quality, hands-on training our students need without long delays."

    This initiative is particularly important for Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties, which rank among the most economically distressed regions in North Carolina. A reliable and fully equipped ambulance will enable Beaufort CCC to extend its training resources to rural and underserved areas, ensuring that local EMS providers and students receive the education and experience needed to succeed.

    "This investment will enhance community health and safety for years to come," Respass emphasized. "By improving emergency care capabilities and fostering workforce development, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve."

    The Cannon Foundation had previously funded equipment for the Boat Manufacture & Service program. The foundation has a robust history of supporting the college. It was established in 1943 by Charles A. Cannon, president and chairman of Cannon Mills Company for more than 50 years. Cannon was born in Concord, NC and built the Cannon Mills Company into a household name. A focus of the foundation is supporting higher education.

    Beaufort CCC offers a wide range of EMS programs, including initial Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced EMT, EMT to Paramedic, Community Health Paramedicine, and Flight/Critical Care Paramedic courses, as well as continuing education for the various levels of EMS providers. For more information about Beaufort CCC's EMS programs, please contact Billy Respass at 252-940-6448 or billy.respass@beaufortccc.edu.

• Attila Nemecz
• Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
• Beaufort County Community College
• 5337 U.S. Highway 264 East
• Washington, N.C. 27889
• Ph: 252-940-6387
• Cell: 252-940-8672
• attila.nemecz@beaufortccc.edu