The cost of the ambulance is $184,293.42, or three annual payments of $61,431.14. The cost is absorbed through the money that is budgeted from the 3.5-mill EMS levy that voters approved in a special election on Aug. 7. The levy will generate $733,000 annually and will cost $127.75 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home.
“It’s a wonderful unit at not a high cost,” said Westendorf, adding he was able to get the ambulance at a discount because of getting it through a trade show. The ambulance, which has between 7,000 and 8,000 miles on it, was purchased from 911 Fleet & Fire Equipment out of Bluffton. The normal cost of such a unit is more than $215,000, Westendorf said.
“We’re doing what we said we’d do,” City Manager Sony Lewis said. “We’re working smarter not harder. We have the opportunity to do things right with the option to buy this demo ambulance. As long as I’m here and Jonathan is here, we’re committed to getting the best bang for our buck.”
Westendorf said he is hopeful of getting three ambulances in the division of assets and equipment with the Joint Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) district. So far, the only thing in place is an agreement on how the division process will work, according to Westendorf.
“We know we are going to operate two squads and the goal is to have a third one as a reserve unit,” Westendorf said. “We found a really good deal and we’re taking advantage of the opportunity as it presents itself.”
Westendorf and Lewis both said the plan is to use this ambulance as the first one out on calls. Any ambulance acquired from JEMS will be examined for its condition level and put in the proper rotation cycle of use. In three years when this new ambulance is paid off, another one will be purchased and the others will cycle down in order.
“As long as we stay on that upgrading system, we’ll be fine and within budget,” Lewis said.
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