CENTER POINT, Iowa — A major step toward strengthening local emergency response was celebrated Thursday as Center Point Regional Ambulance (CPRA) officially broke ground on a new community emergency services facility.
The nonprofit, volunteer-led organization currently supports Center Point and surrounding rural areas with lifesaving medical response. With rapid residential growth and increased service demands, leaders say the new building is essential to maintaining fast, reliable care.
The facility will serve multiple purposes — from additional ambulance space and improved training rooms to community safety supports.
President of CPRA Don Donley explained that the building is being designed with public protection in mind. "We're going to have it set up where people can come and if storms and stuff, storm shelter type thing. It's going to make it safer for people. It'll benefit the community greatly," Donley said.
Unlike many emergency service providers in Iowa, CPRA does not receive tax revenue. Their entire operation relies on:
✅ Private donations
✅ Local fundraisers
✅ Service fees
Funding the new facility has also required ongoing fundraising efforts, community partnerships and donor support. The organization says the investment will enable faster ambulance deployment and help ensure volunteers have proper resources for emergency calls.
CPRA leaders say the current space is cramped and limits their ability to train new volunteers and store essential equipment. The new facility is expected to include:
• Additional ambulance bays
• A dedicated space for training and medical simulations
• More secure and weather-protected storage
• Public storm shelter capabilities
• Faster response routes to growing neighborhoods
Officials emphasize that the upgraded infrastructure is about saving precious minutes when emergencies strike.
Residents in Center Point and neighboring towns rely heavily on CPRA’s volunteer responders, especially during severe storms and medical emergencies where travel times to larger hospitals can be lengthy.
Local leaders say the expansion reflects increasing community need — from an uptick in medical calls to broader demands brought on by population growth.
The new building also supports future recruitment as Iowa continues to face gaps in rural EMS staffing. More space means more volunteers can be trained, retained and properly supported.
Final designs and construction timelines are set to move forward following Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony. CPRA hopes the project will be a model for what community-driven emergency services can accomplish without direct taxpayer funding.
Volunteers and leaders expressed gratitude and say they will continue advocating for resources to improve access to timely emergency care.
As Donley noted, the organization has one priority: ensuring local families know help is close when they need it most.
Originally reported by Iowa's News Now Staff in CBS Iowa's News.
