Ambulance District Board Opts To Purchase Equipment For New Truck

With fiscal year 2019 ending on October 31, members of the Ste. Genevieve County Ambulance District board voted at last Thursday’s board meeting to order equipment for a new ambulance.

The ambulance itself will be ordered later this fall and will be part of the 2020 budget.

Meanwhile, executive director Kendall Shrum briefly discussed that 2020 budget with the board members.

The board is looking at getting a Sprinter-type truck to serve as an ambulance.

Since June 2017, Shrum has been advocating the possibility of getting one of these smaller, van-like vehicles that are about half the price of full-sized ambulances and are more fuel efficient. It would be used on transfers only, to save wear and tear on the more expensive trucks.

Initially, the board had looked at Mercedes Sprinter models but have since been more interested in Ford Transits, due to concerns about being able to have the Mercedes trucks serviced.

The board voted to purchase a Stryker brand power stretcher and power loader to go on the new truck. The power stretcher will be in the 2019 budget. The loader will be sent to whichever manufacturer the district decides to deal with and will be installed in the truck as it is customized.

The loader is $22,658 and the power stretcher $18,543.

On the truck itself, Shrum said he had obtained base prices from American Response Vehicles (ARV) and Osage Ambulance.

Osage did not offer a diesel  truck, however, which is a virtual requirement. Among other issues, should an emergency arise in a Mississippi Lime Company mine tunnel, only diesel vehicles may be used.

A third company had not yet replied. Shrum did not want to release prices until the third estimate was received.

See complete story in the September 25 edition of the Herald.