Palmetto Railways donates $375K to enhance emergency services in Cross
Matthew Sockol— WCIV ABC News 4
CROSS, S.C. (WCIV) — Palmetto Railways, a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, announced on Dec. 11 it is providing $375,000 in funding to Central Berkeley Fire & EMS for the Cross Rural Fire District to upgrade equipment and / or infrastructure to improve emergency services available to the Cross community.
Palmetto Railways is partnering with the emergency services provider as part of the transportation related mitigation for the Camp Hall Rail Project to minimize and compensate for transportation impacts, according to a press release.
"Palmetto Railways is not only committed to providing rail service that supports and enhances economic growth, but it is also equally committed to ensuring those who live near the lines we operate have the quality of life and safe environment to be a thriving part of the local community," Palmetto Railways President and CEO Patrick McCrory said in a statement.
"The opportunity to help with improving the services emergency responders can provide as well as the equipment they use, is something we are proud to support," he continued in his statement.
With the funding made available by Palmetto Railways in a Memorandum of Agreement, according to the press release, Central Berkeley Fire & EMS will complete building renovations and improvement work at the Cross District Fire Station located on Old Highway 6 in Cross.
The press release says the funding used for upgrades related to the Cross Rural Fire District is in addition to other transportation mitigation activities Palmetto Railways is performing as part of the development of the Camp Hall Rail Project, including advanced at-grade, railroad crossing signalization systems, at-grade early-warning systems at specific crossing locations and rail related emergency services training.
"We are excited about the partnership between Central Berkeley Fire & EMS and Palmetto Railways," Central Berkeley Fire & EMS Chief Tim Stephenson said in a statement. "We are being given the opportunity to take an old station, which is currently only big enough to house apparatus and rebuild it into a proper fire station with accommodations to staff a crew."
"This is a huge win, not just for our department, but for the residents of the Cross Fire District," he continued in his statement. "The fact that we can do this without a significant impact to our operational budget is a testament to the lengths we go through to be fiscally responsible with the taxpayer's dollars."
