The Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center Free\u2011Standing Emergency Department (FED), now under construction on the north side of Jax State\u2019s campus, will be a 17,000\u2011square\u2011foot facility housing both the emergency department and a newly relocated University Health Center . A shared helipad and the city\u2019s new Fire Station No. 2 will sit directly beside it, creating what officials describe as a tightly coordinated hub for emergency response.<\/p>\n
The facility is expected to open next year.<\/p>\n
Regional Medical Center CEO Keith Parrott said the FED will open with the full capabilities required of a licensed emergency department in Alabama .<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be able to provide any level of service that any ER in the state provides,\u201d Parrott said. \u201cWe\u2019ll have a full component of lab and diagnostic imaging.\u201d The hospital is still evaluating whether to install an MRI machine on day one, but space has been built to accommodate one.<\/p>\n
Beyond emergency care, the facility will offer CT, mammography, ultrasound and scheduled outpatient imaging \u2014 services Parrott emphasized will be available to the entire community.<\/p>\n
A return to emergency care in northern Calhoun County<\/p>\n
Jacksonville has been without an emergency department since 2018, when RMC Jacksonville closed. Parrott said the institution still has data from the smaller facility showing the emergency room alone saw 13,000 to 14,000 visits annually.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat population hasn\u2019t grown substantially, but it certainly hasn\u2019t shrunk,\u201d he said. \u201cWe anticipate there are still 13,000 to 14,000 visits from that immediate area that right now are having to go all the way into Anniston or up to Gadsden.\u201d<\/p>\n
For rural residents north of the city \u2014 and for Jacksonville State\u2019s 10,000\u2011plus students \u2014 the difference between a 20\u2011minute ambulance ride and a two\u2011minute one can be lifesaving.<\/p>\n
Michael Barton , associate vice president for health and public safety at Jax State, said the university has seen firsthand how distance affects outcomes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a week in November where there were three patients flown out by helicopter from the City of Jacksonville,\u201d Barton said. \u201cTwo of those were flown from the university from unrelated incidents. By having that freestanding ER on campus, those patients could be able to be transported there, and stabilized immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barton noted that the geography of Jacksonville and the heavy traffic around campus create real challenges during medical calls. Barton said those delays can add up quickly when every minute matters.<\/p>\n
\u201cJax State is bisected by two state highways, and those are heavily traveled routes. For emergency services to travel through that area, it does slow things down.\u201d<\/p>\n
A strategic location and a shared mission<\/p>\n
The FED\u2019s placement beside the new fire station was intentional. The city had already identified the need for expanded emergency services on the north side, and the shared helipad will serve both facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was just another sign that that\u2019s a good place to be,\u201d Parrott said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be able to share that helipad with the city, which will create some efficiencies and good collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parrott said discussions began shortly after he joined RMC last January. Jacksonville leaders \u2014 including former Mayor Johnny Smith and current Mayor Mark Jones \u2014 had been exploring options for years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt became clear to me that they\u2019d been looking at this for a long time and really needed a partner who would step up and make some financial commitments,\u201d Parrott said. \u201cI saw people who were running for office and leaving office whose main concern was what\u2019s best for the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
A new home for the University Health Center<\/p>\n
While the emergency department has drawn most of the public attention, Barton emphasized that the project is \u201conly half of the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
The University Health Center , currently located at Jax State\u2019s South Complex , will move into the new building \u2014 a shift Barton said will remove transportation barriers for students, faculty and staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more than just a first aid station,\u201d Barton said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very well\u2011developed health clinic that provides general health care services. By being able to have this new, modern facility on the main campus, that\u2019s going to enhance those services.\u201d<\/p>\n
The move will also streamline referrals. Today, students who need X\u2011rays or other diagnostic tests must travel off\u2011site. In the new building, Barton said, \u201cyou\u2019re going to be able to walk just down the hallway.\u201d<\/p>\n
The partnership also expands hands-on training opportunities for students in the College of Health Professions and Wellness , who already participate in emergency simulations \u2014 such as active shooter drills and mass casualty situations \u2014 with both city and university public safety officials.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe routinely conduct exercises with our College of Health Professions and Wellness , and I would only imagine those will continue with RMC as a partner,\u201d Barton said. \u201cThis enhanced partnership will provide realistic educational opportunities for health professions students.\u201d<\/p>\n
Public response and rebuilding trust<\/p>\n
Public reaction has ranged from excitement to cautious optimism, said Ben Nunnally , public information officer for the City of Jacksonville .<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is one of those things where the proof is going to come in as people start to get to experience the leadership that RMC has now,\u201d Nunnally said.<\/p>\n
Parrott acknowledged that RMC\u2019s reputation has taken hits in recent years, particularly around long wait times and staffing concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest complaints we had was the experience in our emergency department,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve reduced by about 30 percent the amount of time it takes to be seen in the ER and have dramatically reduced, almost to zero, the number of people who leave without being seen.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that flu season has temporarily strained those improvements, but said the hospital is committed to long\u2011term progress.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead<\/p>\n
Parrott said the Jacksonville FED is part of a broader vision to expand access to care across Calhoun County .<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can form partnerships with key municipalities like Jacksonville \u2014 same with Oxford to the south \u2014 we should be able to add higher\u2011end services, more cardiac services, more surgical services,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to keep more care in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Barton, the project represents a milestone in a longstanding partnership between RMC and Jax State.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis initiative is a demonstration of meaningful cooperation to improve health care in the surrounding region,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Grapevine officials say shifting fire department resources toward EMS is needed to match call volume, but critics warn the plan could affect response coverage\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Sherman Fire Rescue handled about 600 calls outside city limits in 2025, but officials say the current system funding those responses may not be sustainable\n <\/p>\n March 05, 2026 10:00 AM<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n A weeklong Crisis Intervention Team course in Elkhart County trained 26 first responders in de-escalation, suicide prevention and responding to behavioral health emergencies\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n President Donald Trump announced he will replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after she faced intense scrutiny on Capitol Hill over immigration enforcement and agency operations\n <\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.).![\"FireRescue1](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772890813_948_.jpeg\")
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