Ambulance Service adds new unit to fleet

Another new ambulance has entered service in McCreary County, and this one may prove to be the most useful of all the additions over the past few years.

EMS/911 Director Jimmy Barnett and Assistant Willie Duncan announced last week that the Ambulance Service had just received their newest remounted ambulance, which comes equipped with 4-wheel drive – surely to be a benefit during winter months.

The ambulance, which is currently being stocked prior to being inspected and certified for service, is the fourth such remounted unit added to the fleet over the past three years.

The ambitious plan put in motion by Barnett and Duncan to replace the Ambulance Service’s aging fleet is well underway and showing great success so far and at a minimal cost to the County.

By refurbishing and remounting old ambulances instead of purchasing new ones, Barnett estimates the Ambulance service has saved the county about $50,000 per truck – totaling about $200,000 in overall savings.

Barnett swears by the work done on the vehicles, noting the first remounted truck put in service about three years ago has logged over 140,000 miles and has had only minor maintenance issues. The overhaul work done has also nearly doubled fuel mileage for the new fleet, and greatly cut down on tire wear.

Barnett asked the Fiscal Court to establish a special fund, where $5,000 of EMS collections each month is set aside to go toward new ambulances. That fund, along with several grants, has helped the department get ahead of schedule, already adding four units, with two more to come in the following years.