Grand opening held for new Finney County Health Department, Robert D. ‘Bob’ Prewitt EMS facility

By SCOTT AUST / Greater Garden City

Finney County celebrated the grand opening of its new combined Finney County Health Department and Robert D. “Bob” Prewitt EMS facility on Friday with a proclamation declaring Nov. 13, 2026 as Robert D. “Bob” Prewitt Day in Finney County for Prewitt’s more than 50 years of service, leadership and education to EMS.

“When they told me they wanted to put my name on this building my first thought was, they had the wrong guy,” Prewitt said. “Not because I’m being modest, but because I know the truth – I didn’t do this alone, not one bit of it.”

Prewitt’s EMS career started in Winfield, KS, in 1970 where he assumed leadership in the ambulance service which consisted of Bob, a first aid instructor and four part-time college students serving as ambulance drivers. Between 1974 and 1975, Prewitt received advanced trauma training from a University of Kansas Medical Center trauma physician and became a State of Kansas-certified EMS instructor.

Prewitt taught early EMT courses at Southwestern College and helped train groups of new EMS instructors who then expanded EMT education and certification opportunities across the state.

After arriving in Garden City, Prewitt worked with Garden City Community College to establish EMS education and certification programs, and, according to the resolution, helped build a local and regional training pathway for EMS personnel.

Prewitt also served on a Kansas legislative committee focused on strengthening EMS programs and improving emergency medical services in rural communities.

Prewitt expressed gratitude to a long list of individuals who he worked with over the years and credited them with having as much impact on building a strong EMS service.

“I wish I could stand up here and name every single person who ever stood here with me or with us. I can’t. There are too many and thank God for that because it means that this grew far bigger than any one person,” Prewitt said. “If your name hasn’t been spoken and you were with us, it’s not because it isn’t written on this building. It is. You just can’t see the ink. So let me tell you what this building really is to me. It’s not a monument to me. It’s a home for the next 50 years of people who will run toward trouble when everyone else runs away. They’re going to walk through these doors, put on their gear, and go out and try to save a life. That’s the legacy, not the name on the wall.”  

Built by Hutton Construction, the $12.9 million 28,315 square foot building located at 510 W. Mary St., expanded the health department from eight exam rooms to 13, includes specialized areas such as an isolation room with closed ventilation, family planning rooms, an ADA-compliant maternal child health room and large family rooms.

It also includes dedicated space for regional meetings, the “Becoming a Mom” program and diabetes prevention classes and will allow enhanced services including immunizations, WIC programming, infectious disease investigation, tuberculosis treatment and laboratory services.

Health Department Director Katrina Lowry said the Finney County Health Department, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exists to promote and protect the health of all people and the health of the entire community.

“This beautiful new facility provides a bright, welcoming space with which to greet clients, host regional meetings and community classes, and provide adequate space for health prevention and promotion activities and care. This facility was designed with you, the community in mind,” she said.

Kenny Smith, EMS Director, said the facility is more than just a new building. It represents a commitment to providing quality emergency medical services and healthcare to the people it serves.

“Having EMS and the health department together under one roof creates opportunities for better communication, cooperation, and service to our community,” Smith said. “It is an investment into the future of healthcare and public safety of our county.”

Smith, who trained under Prewitt, added that it is especially meaningful to name the EMS station in honor of Prewitt who has dedicated countless years to EMS and serving the people of his community.

“His leadership, commitment, and passion for helping others have left a lasting mark on our EMS system. Every time someone walks through the doors, I hope they are reminded of the standard of service, dedication, and compassion that Bob represents. Today we celebrate a new beginning while honoring a legacy,” Smith said.

Vicki Germann, Finney County Commission Chairman, thanked those who came out to celebrate the milestone and said the building represents an important investment in the health, safety and future of the community.

“Facilities like this represent, like this one, represent a commitment to the people we serve. Investing in public facilities, health, and emergency medical services is one of the most important investments a community can make,” she said. “It means ensuring that our residents have access to quality health services, that our families have resources to help them stay healthy, and that when emergencies happen, our EMS professionals have the space, equipment, and resources they need to respond.”

Germann said what happens inside these walls is what matters. She said the facility will be a place where “lives are impacted, families are supported, health is protected, and our community is cared for during some of its most important and sometimes most difficult moments.”

Germann said projects like this do not happen without the support and commitment of an entire community. She thanked the Finney County community, taxpayers, elected officials, community partners, and everyone who helped make this vision a reality.

“Your support demonstrates that you believe in investing not only in the needs of today, but also in the well-being of future generations,” Germann said. “When we invest in facilities that serve our community, we are investing in much more than bricks and mortar. We are investing in people. We are investing in the ability to provide services more effectively, create a better working environment for our employees, and ensure that Finney County is prepared to meet the needs of our residents now and in the years ahead.”

County Administrator Derek Ramos echoed Germann’s remarks and added that the facility represents the County’s commitment to the people who depend on these services and the employees who provide them every single day.

“Both departments provide services that our community depends on, and today they have a facility that better reflects the importance of their work,” Ramos said.

Ramos also thanked the Finney County Board of County Commissioners for their leadership, vision, and a willingness to make difficult decisions and long-term investments in our community, and thanked taxpayers for their support in voting to approve a quarter-cent sales tax in 2021 dedicated to infrastructure improvements and property tax stabilization. He said a portion of those revenues helped make the health department/EMS facility possible.  

“This building represents an investment made by the people of Finney County into their own community,” Ramos said. “To our voters and taxpayers, thank you, thank you for your trust and for recognizing the importance of investing in the services and infrastructure our community relies on.”

Finally, Ramos said Bob Prewitt’s legacy is what public service is all about.

“It’s all about the people who dedicate their lives to serving others, sharing what they have learned, and preparing the next generation to carry that work forward,” Ramos said. “Bob’s legacy is not just the years he served, or all the work he’s accomplished. It’s also the people he’s trained, all the lives he has touched, and the impact he continues to have on this community.”

Ramos thanked Bob and the entire Prewitt family and added that the building is about much more than bricks and mortar.

“It’s about a parent bringing their child in for immunization. It’s about a family finding help when they need it. It’s about a paramedic responding to someone experiencing one of the worst days of their lives, and it’s about making sure the people providing those services have the facilities and resources they need to do their job,” he said.

To learn more about the Finney County Health Department and EMS please visit https://www.finneycountyks.gov/139/Health-Department and https://www.finneycountyks.gov/132/Emergency-Medical-Services-EMS .