MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
MEBrady@co.pg.md.us @PGFDPIO
The
Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department recently
accepted delivery of new transport ambulances with two already placed into
service. A total of nine units will have
been delivered by the end of the month with another eight being constructed and
delivered later this year. The 17 new units will replace older units that will be deadlined or placed into the reserve fleet.
One unit already placed in service is at Fire/EMS
Station 842 on Marcy Avenue in Oxon Hill, this unit will serve as a Basic Life
Support ambulance. The second unit will be
designated as a Paramedic Ambulance at Fire/EMS Station 821, located on
Livingston Road.
The County’s Fire/EMS Department is a combination
career/volunteer agency that provides services to include fire prevention, fire
protection, emergency medical services, and community outreach programs for
residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland.
It is composed of 45 fire/EMS stations, of which some are all career,
all volunteer, or a combination of both.
Currently, there are 900 career and civilian employees and 1500
volunteer members. The Department covers
a response area of about 500 square miles, protects close to a million people,
and has an annual operating budget of 190 million dollars. Last year, the organization responded to
approximately 150,000 calls, 80 percent of them were for EMS. At this time, the Prince George’s County
Fire/EMS Department is the largest and busiest combination department in the United
States.
The 2017 model-year ambulances have been
redesigned to the newest safety standards.
Built on a Dodge 5500 Chassis and powered by a 6.71 Cummins Diesel Motor
with a 6-speed heavy duty transmission, these units have safety features not currently
available on the Department’s past units.
Additional vehicle features include a Liquid Spring Suspension to assist
in a smooth ride for both providers and patients. The units are equipped
with a Whelen LED Emergency Lighting package, custom PGFD door forward design,
and custom exterior and interior design. This new design will put all medical equipment within
reach of the EMS provider, allowing them to remain seat-belted while providing
the highest quality of medical care to our patients.
A Stryker
Power Load System and Power Cot assists in lifting the patient into the
treatment area of the unit and reduces injuries to providers.
This is the first time in over 20 years that the
Fire/EMS Department has made such a dramatic change to its ambulance
fleet. These units represent the most innovative pieces
in our convoy and will replace transport units to be placed
into the reserve fleet. Paramedic Ambulance 821 is built on a 4X4 chassis,
while Ambulance 842 is built on a 4x2 chassis. The costs of the units are $277,000 and
$272,000, respectively.
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