Keizer Puts New Ambulance Into Service

The new ambulance replaces a 2003 ambulance that will be rotated to become the District's second out ambulance.

Salem-News.com

(KEIZER, Ore.) - The Keizer Fire District placed a new ambulance in service at the end of November. The new advanced life support medical unit will be the new front line ambulance for calls in the Fire District, according to Fire District Spokesman Jim Trett.

He says planning for the new unit began approximately two years ago and was ordered in early 2008.

"Fire Chief Jeff Cowan pointed out that the new ambulance was not purchased with funds from the District's Levy approved by voters in the November general election", Trett said.

"Cowan said that the Local Option Levy was for operation of the Districts services and programs only and money from that levy will not be received until November 0f 2009."

Trett says the new ambulance was paid for by funds from the District's Equipment Sinking Fund which the District is using now to pay for operations until levy funds become available in 2009.

The new ambulance was built by Life Line of Sumner, Iowa. The unit is built on a Ford F-450 chassis. The new medic unit is staffed by two Firefighter/Paramedics and contains the latest technologies in advanced life support equipment. The ambulance provides adequate room for paramedics to provide optimal patient care while enroute to the hospital.

The new ambulance replaces a 2003 ambulance that will be rotated to become the District's second out ambulance.

The second ambulance is staffed with two Firefighter/Paramedics 12 hours a day, seven days week at peak times to cover the Keizer Fire Districts growing number of calls requesting emergency medical response.

In 2007 the District received 3,146 calls for service of which 2,946 were for medical response. Chief Cowan said that amount of use places a lot of wear on a vehicle like this and is why they need to be replaced sooner than fire engines.