The cost of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) equipment was at the forefront of Allen County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning. Michael Burnett, EMS Director, gave an update to commissioners on services in the county and anticipated ambulance costs.
“Calls were down in the last quarter,” Burnett said. He noted that EMS currently averages 35 to 40 transfers, with the majority going to the Kansas City area and roughly a third going to Wichita.
He added the department has an ambulance remount scheduled in another year. A proposed remount of an additional ambulance would be close to two years out. In contrast, purchasing a new ambulance could be up to three years wait time.
The cost of a remount is approximately $230,000. A remount makes use of an existing ambulance. Its body is removed and placed on top of a new chassis.
Generally, a remount is more cost-effective than buying brand new.
Commissioner Bruce Symes asked why the timeframe for the remount was so lengthy and if this was typical of the industry. “It’s just supply and demand,” said Burnett. “They can’t make enough, fast enough.” Burnett also noted that he is aware of a low-mileage 2019 ambulance that will be hitting the market soon for $255,000 and a quicker turnaround. He stated it had previously been used by the New York Fire Department as a backup for a couple years before being sent back to the manufacturer, American Response Vehicles (ARV).
EMS needs three vehicles, along with a back up. They currently have five total.
Commissioner Symes asked if it would be possible to not go forward with the second proposed remount and continue with an inventory of four vehicles.
“Would that put us in a bind?” Symes asked. “We had fewer runs this year, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have a record year next year.”
Burnett said it could pose a problem to eliminate one of the ambulances, considering all the transfers the department does. He added that there are times that they have two vehicles out at once for repairs.
Commissioner David Lee suggested looking at future repairs or replacements further into the future, after they complete the first remount. Leasing is also an option that Lee thinks needs to be more closely examined. Burnett said he would find information on leasing to present to the commission. 
JASON TREGO, emergency management director, had good news to share.
“President Biden has signed off on the disaster declaration, so it’s gone to the federal level,” he said, referring to the request for funding to address the storms in late April that resulted in widespread flooding in the county.
Trego noted that while they don’t have a definite dollar amount requested, “We can estimate how much we spent for the disaster.”
Public Works Director Mitch Garner and Interim Road and Bridge Director Jeremy Hopkins noted they also don’t have an estimate for how much their departments spent on the disaster response.
