A third ambulance will be added to the Oxford Fire Department as township officials last week voted 6-0 to purchase a slightly used unit for $107,817.
With no more than 9,000 miles on it, the 2006 LifeLine ambulance was driven by the company’s salesperson who used the unit as a demonstration model when he was visiting different fire departments.
‘I am all for getting (an ambulance that’s) less than brand new,? said Supervisor Bill Dunn. ‘I don’t buy brand new cars. You save a lot of money by getting one that’s been broken in by someone else.?
The department had originally earmarked $115,000 for a new ambulance using monies from the Advanced Life Support millage approved by voters in May 2005.
Having a brand new 2007 LifeLine ambulance built would have cost $120,352 and taken LifeLine 190 days to build after receiving a chassis from Ford.
Purchasing the factory demonstrator model saved the department nearly $7,200.
The unit will be delivered on or before Dec. 18, which ‘better fits our ALS timeline,? according to Fire Chief Jack LeRoy.
Oxford hopes to begin offering Advanced Life Support services ‘sometime during the month of December,? the chief said. ‘Tenatively, no later than the first of the year.?
If Oxford’s ALS program gains approval from the Oakland County Medical Control Authority in November, it goes on to the state for licensing.
‘Soon as the state license comes in, we go into business,? the chief said.
LeRoy said having three ambulances is necessary as a back-up measure.
‘Two could be quite often on the road, even from a single call,? he said. ‘So, we’ve got to have one left. We’ll try to keep one back?
For example, in a car accident, the chief said ‘it would not be unusual? to have two ambulances involved in transporting multiple victims to the hospital.
In such a case, Oxford would have a third ambulance available should another medical call come in.
Last year, the fire department responded to 802 medical calls. This year firefighters have gone on 757 medical runs so far.