Alcona EMS fleet aging
By PATTY RAMUSAlcona County emergency services officials told the board of commissioners Wednesday, their aging vehicles are plagued by high mileage and ongoing mechanical issues.
Kristin Hoffman, emergency medical services director, said the mileage for the EMS ambulance fleet are a 1997 - 192,000 miles, a 2002 - 197,000 miles, a 2003 - 162,000 miles and a 2003 - 70,000 miles.
Last year EMS spent $22,000 in repairs and this year about $10,000 on repairs, Hoffman said.
"That's not counting your normal maintenance," she said. "I have an ongoing list of stuff that needs to be done but you can only do one thing at a time."
Hoffman made a request to the board to take out a loan with Republic First National Bank to purchase a 2007 Chevrolet ambulance with 3,000 miles from Michigan First Response for $89,000.
The board unanimously voted to give EMS the authorization to go forward with the purchase with a four-year loan. Hoffman said the ambulance should be available within three weeks.
"I know I'm happy and my employees are going to be happier," she said of the board's approval.
This is the second ambulance the board has authorized purchasing. Earlier this year, EMS was awarded a 40 percent grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development for the replacement of a 1994 ambulance.
Sheriff Douglas Atchison said several of the department's vehicles are high in mileage. Contracts for the Police Officers Association of Michigan require patrol vehicles to be taken out of routine patrol duties at 145,000 miles. Typically, when a patrol car reaches 145,000 miles, it's given to the sergeants for their use until it reaches 160,000 miles. The vehicle is then sold. Out of 10 department vehicles, six have more than 160,000 miles on them.
"I only have two vehicles that are used for road patrol," Atchison said. "The issue is cars (no. five) and (no. 10), they're getting racked up with miles quickly. I've even considered using the (Chevrolet) Tahoe for road patrol."
Earlier this year the sheriff department received $16,000 in grant money from rural development for the purchase of two new cars. The cars, which the department received in June, are the only ones being used for road patrol at this time. It was the first time the department had purchased patrol vehicles since 2006.
While the purchase of the two cars was good for the department, it was only a temporary fix, because the department is behind on the vehicle replacement rotation, Atchison said.
"Looking at the mileages, I don't know how we're going to get away with it next year," he said.
Atchison said the current cost for a patrol vehicle with equipment would currently cost a little over $20,000.
Vice Chair Carolyn Brummund asked commissioners what their thoughts were about looking into whether the county could afford to buy another patrol car at this time.
"If we can afford it, we need to buy one," said Chair Kevin Boyat.
Boyat said the finance committee will look into the matter and bring it up for discussion at the next meeting.
In other business:
- The board approved new bylaws for the Alcona County Economic Development Corp.
- The board voted to close the county building at 12 p.m. Aug. 29 for the Labor Day holiday.
- The board approved a motion to investigate the possibility of county employees going to a four-day work week. Boyat said he has already had some discussion with county employees.
Patty Ramus can be reached via e-mail at pramus@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.
