SOMERSET, MA—The Fire Department has purchased a new ambulance and for the first time, will have two ambulances that are less than five years old, which means they will be more dependable, Fire Chief Scott Jepson said.
"So, now we're in great shape," Chief Jepson said.
Chief Jepson said when the town turned the Fire Department's enterprise account into a revolving fund that it could use to purchase vehicles and equipment, it was the goal of the department to buy a new ambulance every five years, so that goal has been met.
The new ambulance is a 2019 Ford F550 four wheel drive truck. The ambulance was purchased from Medix. Chief Jepson said it is the first time the Fire Department has purchased a vehicle from that company, which is a smaller business than the department has dealt with in the past. The ambulance was built by a manufacturer in Indiana. But Chief Jepson said the department, by far, got the best deal from Medix. The new ambulance cost $243,000 with over $40,000 of that being for a power stretcher that makes it easier for firefighter/paramedics to get the patient to the ambulance. Chief Jepson said if the power stretcher prevents one back injury to a firefighter/paramedic, it will be worth the investment. He said the power stretcher makes transporting patients safer for both the firefighter/paramedics and the patients.
Chief Jepson said the new ambulance is very similar to the last ambulance the department bought, with the exception of some different cabinetry that was installed.
Because the ambulance was paid for with money from the emergency medical services fund that is generated through ambulance fees, Chief Jepson said there was no cost to the taxpayers for the ambulance.
Chief Jepson said the new ambulance will replace the 2011 truck that will now be used as a spare vehicle.
Chief Jepson said the Somerset Fire Department has had a slight increase in calls for ambulance service during the past year. He said the department has needed much less mutual aid because of a grant that allowed the department to hire four more firefighter/paramedics and also has been going out on mutual aid less because Fall River has added more ambulances. The salaries of eleven of the 35 firefighters at the Somerset department are being paid for out of the emergency medical services account and much of the cost for four other firefighters is being paid for with federal grant money.
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