The Austin County EMS has recently taken delivery of its latest ambulance unit, which boasts a range of advanced safety features and equipment designed to enhance patient care and safety. The new ambulance was originally ordered in 2021 but experienced supply chain delays, pushing its delivery date back to Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023.
This marks the second new unit that the County has received in recent months, following the arrival of the first new ambulance at the beginning of January. The County’s goal is to purchase three new units, with the third scheduled to arrive in May 2023.
The new ambulance features state-of-the-art safety equipment, including UV lighting and additional disinfecting measures, which are especially crucial given the ongoing COVID-19 concerns. The ambulance’s equipment storage system has been redesigned to provide better efficiency and more space for the crew to move and work.
The new ambulance also boasts improved safety features that exceed industry standards. The vehicle is equipped with a range of safety systems, including airbags, anti-lock brakes, and electronic stability control. These features are designed to keep both the crew and patients safe in the event of an accident or emergency situation.
The Austin County EMS is slowly replacing its aging fleet, with this new ambulance replacing a 2016 model F350 truck chassis. The box on the back, where the crew takes care of patients, however, had already been remounted twice and was originally built in 2007. If the county had not made the change, this would have been the third remounting. The cost of taking the box off and putting it on a new chassis and increasing safety standards for the box was almost as much as a new truck would cost, so the county elected to go brand new.
With an annual mileage of 200,000 per year, the County’s ambulances see significant use, with the Austin County EMS answering approximately 4,000 calls each year. The new ambulance is expected to help meet the County’s increasing demand for ambulance services and provide improved care and safety for patients and crew.
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