A steady stream of visitors through the afternoon checked out the three ambulance bays on the ground floor, as well as the meeting room, kitchen, offices and other facilities on the second floor.

Joe Duncan, president of the ambulance association, said the new facility was started in 2003 and occupied in January.

"It’s far better than what we used to have in the back of the firehouse," Duncan said.

On the ground floor, behind the ambulance bays, is a state-of-the-art decontamination unit.

Upstairs, in addition to a large meeting room and offices, there are locker and shower rooms, an exercise room and a bunk room. Much of the equipment and furnishings was donated, Duncan said.

Duncan said the bunkroom is used by volunteers who stay overnight, especially during the winter and inclement weather.

"We have contracted EMTs here from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week, but our volunteers provide coverage the rest of the time," Duncan said.

Volunteer ambulance service in Mifflinburg began in 1956, according to a history of the service read by Carol Grove, a member of the association.

She reminded the audience that in those days, there were no pagers or radios or cell phones. The Schwartz Funeral Home took emergency calls around the clock, and then they would call a driver for the ambulance.

Some local physicians would ride the ambulance themselves, Grove said. The drivers in those days did not have much training.