Ambulance garage emerges from ashes

The Mohawk Ambulance Company has begun construction on its new garage near the corner of North Main and Central Avenue, a property that was the site of an enormous fire in 2004 that destroyed several buildings.

The new facility will be the company's second location in Albany; there is also a garage on Quail Street. The garage will better serve the people of Albany, and "take some of the to take some load off the other building," said Rich Brandt, Vice President of Operations. The building will serve as a garage and a training facility, training high school graduates and seniors in emergency medicine and paving the way to careers in the health care and emergency services, Brandt said.

Mohawk is very excited about this new training program, and hopes it will serve as a career pathway for young people, he said. "We think it's a good thing. A good thing for the community and a good thing for health care," Brandt said.

Mohawk Ambulance was established in 1964, and is the Capital Region's largest provider of emergency services. They have 29 ambulances, 220 employees and facilities in Albany, Schenectady, Troy and Brunswick. Mohawk is under contract with Albany Memorial Hospital and Albany Medical Center.

Mohawk purchased the property last Spring, and began construction in February. The project is expected to be completed by Labor Day, if everything stays on track, Brandt said.