A new ambulance may be en route to the Pulaski County EMS. Jason Rogers of the EMS told the Commissioners that they’ve been having a large amount of ambulance problems: One of their trucks has broken down and needs a new fuel injection system for the third time, another truck also needs repaired, and a third truck is unable to be used because the state no longer commissions it.
The truck to be replaced, a 2006 model with 164,000 miles, has been a thorn in the EMS’s side for some time.
“We have a ‘06 ambulance that’s needing some major engine work and I just personally feel it would be better off to get a new ambulance, because this ambulance we’re replacing has been nothing but problems for us,” said Jason Rogers of the EMS.
The price for the new diesel ambulance is expected to be about $73,000. There is a model $10,000 cheaper, but it uses a gasoline engine, which means more wear and tear, and the EMS station is only equipped with a diesel gas pump. The truck that is unable to be driven because of state policies is expected to be sold or scrapped in the near future.
There is no money in the EMS budget for a new ambulance. The Commissioners passed a motion to approve the request, pending Council approval and the availability of the funds.
